 |
EuropaBio (European Association for Bioindustries)
représente environ 40 entreprises adhérentes
actives dans le monde entier ainsi que 18 associations nationales
centrées sur les biotechnologies. |
| In support of GM food |
Brussels, 4 October 2002 |
Contrary to what many people believe, GM crops are extensively
regulated. They are tested for allergenicity, toxin levels and
nutritious content as well as undergoing rigorous environmental
assessments. It can be legitimately claimed that GM products sold
on the market are as safe as non-GM. Both the FAO and WHO have
made public statements attesting to this. The European Commission
after analysing 81 reports from 15 years of research on GM crops
declared “…the use of more precise technology and
greater regulatory scrutiny probably make them (i.e. GM crops)
even safer than conventional plants and foods.” http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/press/2001/pr0810en.html
GM crops are grown by 5.5 million farmers world wide and have
been eaten by hundreds of millions of people. There has not been
one documented health problem associated with eating GM crops
to date. Countless studies testify to this. All GM crops, unlike
their conventional counterparts, undergo strict safety and environmental
assessments before they can be sold.
Why should consumers support GM?
The first generation of biotech crops have direct benefits for
farmers resulting in higher yields on less land with less chemical
inputs and with environmental benefits. GM is a tool to reduce
soil erosion and spraying, making pesticide use more efficient
in agriculture.
Ongoing investment by public institutions and private companies
in plant biotechnology could herald products with direct benefits
to consumers like:
- The removal of existing allergens from foods such as peanuts
- Providing more nutritious foods with improved vitamin and amino
acid profiles
- Allowing fruit to ripen longer on the plant before being picked
to improve its flavour
Consumer
choice
Today, Europe has labelling requirements for foods containing
GMO derived ingredients. This will allow consumers a choice whenever
these ingredients will be used on the European market.
However, campaigners hostile to GM technology have prevented farmers
from growing GM crops in Europe and some have even blocked research
by destroying field trials. This hostility has resulted in a de
facto moratorium since 1998 on the commercial planting of GM crops
in Europe.
EuropaBio believes that both farmers and consumers should have
the right to choose what crops they want to grow and which products
they want to buy.
For EU farmers, biotechnology is a tool to protect harvests and
produce food competitively in a global market place, while reducing
soil erosion and spraying. For consumers, it is a tool that can
one day lead to a wider choice of foods by removing allergens
and by adding nutritional benefits.
These benefits can only be achieved by an enabling legislation
and enforceable labelling rules as well as continued support for
research.
For more information on biotechnology, visit www.europabio.org
or contact Adeline Farrelly (a.farrelly@europabio.org)
or Hugo Schepens (h.schepens@europabio.org)
at EuropaBio (02 735 03 13).
EuropaBio has almost 40 corporate members operating worldwide
and 19 national biotechnology associations representing some 1200
SMEs involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing
and distribution of biotechnology products. EuropaBio, the voice
of European bioindustries, aims to be a promoting force for biotechnology
and to present its proposals to industry, politicians, regulators,
NGOs, and the public at large. |
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