ICTSD reports that, "The European Commission recommended sweeping new changes to the European Union's policy on the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Tuesday, unveiling a proposal to grant individual member states the right to decide for themselves whether to allow their domestic farmers to grow the altered crops."
The proposed "amendment would not give countries the right to ban imports of GM products or to prohibit the marketing of those seeds within their borders" and has raised the concern that "the European Commission would lean on EU member states to approve GM seeds at the bloc level..."
This is significant because it is believed that Canada is seeking to have European ‘regulatory barriers' against GMOs dropped in the CETA talks so that modified crops and hormone-treated meat from Canada can be exported to Europe.
"Before it can become law, the amendment will have to win the approval of both the European Parliament and a qualified majority of EU member states."
That said, Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland and Luxembourg have banned the cultivation of GM seeds, while other countries including the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom appear more open to GMO crops.
The full article is at http://ictsd.org/i/news/bridgesweekly/80650/.
Brent Patterson, Director of Campaigns and Communications, Council of Canadians
www.canadians.org
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