EU: GMOs

United Kingdom

The European Union’s new Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallstrom, has announced a fresh initiative to meet growing public concern over the safety of foods made with GMOs. In a written reply to the European Parliament, the Commissioner also confirmed her legal duty as a member of the Commission to ensure compliance with existing legislation thereby authorising the continuation of processing requests for new GM crops, despite the requests of several EU Governments for a moratorium until a revised approval system is in place. Whilst sharing consumer concerns about the potential health and environmental effects of GMOs, the Commissioner stated that she would be forced to take legal action against any EU States that broke European law due to resistance to biotechnology.
(Planet Ark Environment News, 19 August 1999)