London (11.1.10) – John Dalli from Malta, the new EU commissioner-designate for health and consumer protection, has been asked by the Commission President José Manuel Barroso to continue to ensure the safety of our food chain, safeguarding the EU against animal disease . Mr. Dalli is quoted as saying that his priorities in the area of consumer policy would be to keep the consumer at the heart of the functioning of the internal market. He wants to expand information for the consumer so as to empower them to make informed choices. In response to questions for the European Parliament he indicated his first priority as being to complete the food chain strategy and to push for better regulation in our highly regulated internal market for animals, plants, seeds, food and feed, in order to boost the European agro-industry and to stimulate innovation while respecting the health and interests of consumers and the environment (1).

Elsewhere (2) he is reported as saying that safety priority does not mean “zero risk” or nothing will be done to promote growth and innovation. The new commissioner promised to base his decisions on cloning, GMOs and nanotechnologies on science and ethical values while “trying” to promote an innovative Europe and eliminate risks to consumers’ health.

Mr. Dalli of going to be juggling with a number of considerations, each of them voiced by determined advocates who, as often as not, are sceptical of points of view other than their own. We await the outcome with interest.

In Poland a tussle has been under way for months over GM crops to be planted in that country. Some GM-foods, labelled as required by EU regulations are on sale in the country (3). But while such crops have indeed been grown, with Polish farmers wanting the right to grow such crops as appropriate (4, 5), their government has been trying to make it as difficult as possible within EU law (6). Another report (7), this time from Polish radio, claims that a majority of farmers in the country want access to genetically modified grain. A survey taken in three EU nations by the UK’s National Farm Research Unit found that support for GM crops among farmers was highest in Poland, with over 80 percent support, while 45 percent of British farmers wanted access to the crops (7). Simultaneously, a national campaign is being mounted aimed at showing the assets of traditional Polish farming and supposed threats to its existence sponsored by an anti-GM lobby group Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside.

A draft law on GMOs which open Poland up to commercial planting is being touted as a “death sentence for ecological and traditional farming”, with claims that it causes confusion, by suggesting that GMO crops can be grown next to traditional ones leafding “to the destruction of the natural bio-diversity” (8).

In France, Le Haut conseil des biotechnologies (Supreme Council for Biotechnology) has decided by 14 votes to 11 that GM-maize presents more socio-economic difficulties than advantages, with 13 members in favour of further rules for the cultivation and accompanying monitoring while 6 thought that existing motinoring is adequate. It was also felt that coexistence of GM and non-GM varieties would be diffiocult (9).

Sources:

1. Marianne Slegers (21.12.09). Maltese Dalli to take up health and consumer portfolio. EuroPolitics (http://www.europolitics.info/institutions/maltese-dalli-to-take-up-health-and-consumer-portfolio-art258496-36.html)

2. John Dalli names innovation as priority. Malta Independent (10.01.10) (http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=99953)

3. Do European consumers but GM foods? European Commission (14.10.08) (http://www.kcl.ac.uk/consumerchoice)

4. Latest figures show that more EU farmers choose to grow biotech crops to boost their competitiveness, but are the EU’s Ag Ministers listening? EuropaBio (29.9.08) (http://www.europabio.org)

5. Polish biotech ban unpopular with growers (6.1.09). Farm Chemicals International (http://www.fc-international.com/viewitem.php?ItemID=1656)

6. New legislation on GMOs. Polish News Bulletin (3.6.09)

7. Dan Buglass (13.2.09). Calls for European rethink on GM crops. The Scotsman (http://business.scotsman.com/fooddrinkagriculture/Calls-for-European-rethink-on.4976962.jp)

8. Poland divided over GM crops. Polskie Radio (8.1.10) (http://www.thenews.pl/business/artykul123321_poland-divided-over-gm-crops.html)

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