France opposes Dalli's GMO proposals
France said today that is disagreed with proposals by Commissioner John Dalli to open the EU market to GMO cultivation by allowing member states to decide individually on the issue.
Mr Dalli has said he would be officially making his proposals today although details have already been making the rounds in Brussels.
Indicating clearly that France would not be supporting Mr Dalli's proposals, French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire said that his country has strong reservations about the proposal on breaking the deadlock on authorising genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
"We want decisions to continue to be made at a Community level, not the renationalisation of these decisions," the minister said.
"Any re-nationalisation of agricultural issues is a step in the wrong direction. Everything that increases solidarity, working together, imagination, innovation and daring is a move in the right direction," he added.
Spain, the biggest GM supporter in the EU and Belgium, have already spoken against Mr Dalli's initiative.
The Commission is proposing to give countries the option of banning GMO crops within their borders, but many member states have said that this was not a good idea as what happeedn in one country could affect the other.
Last March, just a few weeks after being appointed European Commissioner, Mr Dalli raised eyebrows among environmentalists, by lifting a 13-year ban on the cultivation of a GM potato, called Amflora, to be used for starch by industry.
His decision has been met with resistance by many member states and was harshly criticised by the anti-GM lobby, particularly environmental lobby groups.
On the other hand, the biotech industry is applauding the initiatives being taken by Mr Dalli, calling them ‘creative'.
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John Portelli - MOAM
Jul 13th 2010, 15:40
Mr. Dalli should be telling the people as to how farmers will be forced to buy seeds and chemicals from the big GM companies.
How countries that have been growing GM for a number of years, now have problems with Super Weeds, weeds that have become resistant to herbicides.
How the soil has lost it's organic matter and how difficult it has become to grow any crops without the intensive use of chemicals.
How farmers that grow GM cannot keep any seeds unless they pay the patent holder for the use of the seeds even thought this was their own crop.
Other studies showed damage to the soil in a reduction in beneficial microbes and organisms in the soil of the farms growing genetically modified crops.
In addition to these problems, disadvantages for genetically modified crops include the issue of a reduction in biodiversity, as large agribusiness farms grow limited numbers of crops and use seeds that are all the same species for easier planting and harvesting of the crops.
Malta Organic Agriculture Movement - www.moam.org.mt
International Federation of Organic Movements - www.ifoam-eu.org
Mario Pace
Jul 13th 2010, 17:05
Mr. Portelli is perfectly right. I might add that these seeds are patented and therefore if they germinate in any country by whatever means, even unintended such being carried by the wind, the patent holders can sue for damages. There has already been case-law decided in favour of Monsanto about this matter. It is therefore useless to allow adjoining countries to decide individually since the decision of one country will eventually have an effect on all the continent.
Michael Briguglio
Jul 13th 2010, 15:12
Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party disapproves of Commissioner John Dalli's decision to allow EU member states to decide on GMO cultivations on their territories.
Arnold Cassola, AD spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, stated: "It is so ironic that whilst the European Commission is continuously harping on the need for Europe to act and speak with one voice, Maltese Commissoner Dalli is giving full freedom to each individual country to act as it wishes with regards to GMOs. National egoisms and the interests of particular business lobbies have been privileged vis à vis the interests of consumers and their health which, ironically, Comissioner Dalli is supposed to defend".
Michael Briguglio, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, added: "By taking this decision, Commissioner Dalli has thrown the precautionary principle to the winds. The European consumer's health concerns have been put aside, despite the fact that scientific evidence has not yet been able to guarantee that GMOs are safe for human consumption. The authorisation of GMO cultivations will result in an irreversible process of GMO contamination of fields. Farmers will by necessity become dependent on big-business GMO companies for crops and pesticides".
J. Borg
Jul 13th 2010, 14:22
John Dalli "creativeness" is evidently (at best) misplaced.....
more of a concern is how come a new commissioner like Dalli would take up such a delicate issue which can far reaching effects...when surely he is still getting to grasps with his portfolio.
So it is either that the commissioner does not have anything better to do or there may possibly be more than meets the eye...
Joseph Aquilina
Jul 13th 2010, 13:58
Does Dalli at least have an official version for why supporting so much the GMO cultivation and in turn the the biotech industry? I think if there is an official version then this should also be reported since otherwise this may look as if there is some hidden agenda!!
Ramon Casha
Jul 13th 2010, 13:50
Well done France. When even "the biggest GM supporter" speaks out against this plan, it should be a fairly clear hint to Mr. Dalli that he made a big mistake.
Mario Pace
Jul 13th 2010, 17:27
I do not know why but whenever something new, beneficial or revolutionary comes out of the USA I am always reminded of the following quote from George Keenan, US State department senior planning official, in 1948, " We have about 50% of the world's wealth but only 6.3% of its population. This disparity is particularly great as between ourselves and the peoples of Asia. In this situation, we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity without positive detriment to our national security. To do so, we will have to dispense with all sentimentality and day-dreaming; and our attention will have to be concentrated everywhere on our immediate national objectives. We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford the luxury of altruism and world-benefaction."
Charles Grixti
Jul 14th 2010, 05:09
Another danger of GMO Mr. Dalli is to human health. Experiements with GM potatoes fed to test animals showed 'proliferation of cells' in the gut, which in layman's terms means the beginning of cancers. The Scotish scientist who conducted these studies and came out in public with the results was severely repremanded and lost his job for warning people of the dangers of GM foods.
Mr. Dalli, did you read these studies and more? How about the just watching this video about the evil corporation "Monsanto" and how it changes tactics in each country to serve its agenda of introducing its GM seeds and herbicides, wreching havoc with ecosystems, ruining farmers and human lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hErvV5YEHkE
Mikiel Sciberras
Jul 14th 2010, 05:18
@ Mario Pace
Tell that to the families of the thousands of farmers who have committed suicide in India because they went bankrupt trying to pay for Monsanto’ GMO seeds and accompanying herbicides.
That GMO came out of the US, I am not surprised, but does that mean it is for the benefit of mankind? The first and only nuclear bombs dropped on civilian cities also came from the US.
The business of America is making business, and the first consideration is the almighty dollar and how to make more of them for their Corporations. As for the purported wealth of the US and disparity with other nations, please note that the 50% of global wealth being touted as held by the US is held by only the elite top 5% of the US population. In fact, the US is the country with the highest disparity of incomes in the Western world with a winner and losers mentality. Recent scientific studies have also shown that huge disparity of incomes and uneven distribution of wealth such as is found in the US leads to violence and crime, of which, if you read the statistics, the US is also a world leader.