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media advisory
friends of the earth international
greenpeace international
international environmental safety talks
end in acrimony
two countries block tighter rules on gm
crops and foods
montreal , canada , 3 June 2005 – Key United
Nations negotiations on the safe trade of
genetically modified (GM) crops and foods
ended today in acrimony. Despite over
100 countries demanding comprehensive
controls to limit GM contamination, the move
was blocked by just two countries that sided
with the GM industry – New Zealand and Brazil
.
This week's negotiations on the United
Nations' Biosafety Protocol were aimed at
bringing in international rules to reduce
contamination from imports of GM crops and to
introduce full labelling.
However, despite support from virtually
all countries, especially in the developing
world, little progress was made in making the
laws stronger. Needing consensus to bring in
the new laws, New Zealand and Brazil sided
with big business and shamelessly blocked all
moves.
The Biosafety Protocol provides a safety
net to protect the environment from the
threat of GM crops. Countries are encouraged
to develop legislation that protects their
biodiversity and can also ban imports of GM
products if there are questions over its
safety. To date 119 countries have ratified
the Protocol.
Juan Lopez, GM Coordinator of Friends of
the Earth International said: “The world
community has shown here this week that it
wants laws to protect itself from the threat
of genetically modified foods and crops.Two
countries, Brazil and New Zealand , acting in
the interest of big business, held the talks
to hostage and destroyed the hopes of
improving international laws.”
Doreen Stabinsky, Greenpeace international
genetic engineering campaigner added:
“The actions of Brazil and New Zealand are
shameless. They have prevented the vast
majority from bringing in rules that will
protect the environment. Their victory,
however, will be short-lived as global
opposition to genetically engineered foods
continues to grow.”
for more information
contact
Juan Lopez, Friends of the Earth
International +1 514 8036 718 or +39 333 1498
049
Doreen Stabinsky, Greenpeace International
+1 202 285 7398
Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Earth
International +1 514 996 4090
for information, pictures and reports from
Friends of the Earth see:
www.foecanada.org
for information on GM contamination see:
www.gmcontaminationregister.org
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