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The EU Should Require Certification of GMO Farmers |
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April 04, 2006
Vienna, 5 April 2006. – On the occasion of today´s Vienna coexistence conference “Freedom of choice”, the IFOAM EU Group urges the European Commission to protect organic farming against any GM contamination. This event should be the start of a new EU policy that respects the wishes of the majority of European citizens. |
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“It is simply not acceptable that others be allowed to contaminate our products as a result of their business practices”, says Marco Schlueter, co-ordinator of the IFOAM EU Group. “This threatens our economic existence and the continued successful growth of organic farming”.
Therefore the IFOAM EU Group demands that all GM producers be required to follow a strict certified regime that ensures they do not contaminate others with transgenic material (2). “Organic farmers already have to follow very strict standards inspected by independent, third-party certifiers. The Commission must demand at least as much of GMO farmers” add Thomas Dosch, German IFOAM board member.
Instead, the present approach of the EU Commission is to ensure "co-existence" primarily by forcing non-GMO producers to accept routine contamination up to 0.9%. The Commission should now get to work with legislation that makes GMO producers strictly liable for the damage they cause.
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