Applying for 8 GM opt-out’s
ICPPC has received confirmation today from the Ministry of the Environment that a letter stating Poland’s intention of applying for 8 GM opt-out’s has been sent to the European Commission in Brussels.
The opt-outs cover all varieties of GM maize developed for use in agriculture.
This result comes after Association for a GMO Free Poland and the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside raised the alarm that the Polish government was failing to act on the GMO opt out clause.
The opt-out, whose application deadline is October 3rd 2015, enables individual EU Countries to ban GM crop plantings. According to European Commission directives, the grounds for establishing a ban must then be considered by the corporations intending to market GM seeds within European Union Countries.
So far France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Hungary, The Netherlands, Croatia and Belgium have applied for the GM opt-out. Poland will be the tenth Country to take this position (see link below).
Poland banned the import and planting of GM seeds in 2006, after strong public preshttp://icppc.pl/administrator/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&layout=edit&id=642#sure. The first Country to do so. However successive Polish governments have been unconvincing concerning the enforcement of controls necessary to properly monitor potential GM plantings.
Sir Julian Rose, ICPPC President, said: “This is real progress in the battle to keep Poland GMO Free in which we have been engaged since 2004. The nation has a proud record of fine farmhouse foods that purvey health and welfare to millions of citizens. For this record to be maintained, GM cannot be allowed to enter the Polish fields”
Jadwiga Lopata, ICPPC Founder/Vice President, said: “Seventy five percent of Polish citizens have consistently said ‘NO to GMO!’ Government is duty bound to act on such a conclusive voice in favour of banning GMO. This opt-out presents an opportunity to stand up for the independent sovereignty of Poland as a GMO Free nation. But it is critical that the Polish Parliament makes a clear act banning GMO in Poland”
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Many thanks!
Jadwiga and Julian
Restrictions of geographical scope of GMO applications/authorisations: Member States demands and outcomes: http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/new/authorisation/cultivation/geographical_scope_en.htm