April 27, 2000 / Agence France Presse English
BRUSSELS -- Eurobarometre 2000, which was published here Thursday, was cited as finding that Europeans are increasingly wary of biotechnology, and this sentiment applies to genetic manipulation for medical use as much as for novel foods.
The survey found that only 41 percent of Europeans believe biotechnology will improve their lives over the next 20 years, compared with 47 percent three years ago.
Twenty-three percent consider biotech will have a negative effect on their lives, up from 19 percent previously.
Other new technologies -- solar power, computers, telecommunications and new materials -- remain enthusiastically supported by a very large majority of Europeans.
The figures also suggest that the storm in Europe over genetically-modified foods, which are strongly contested by environmentalists, is affecting public support of biotechnology for medical use.
A large majority of Europeans still accept the usefulness and moral acceptability of manipulating genes to devise new vaccines or tests to detect inheritable diseases.
However, the story says, that number has fallen significantly, along with backing for genetically modified food.
Only 43 percent of those interviewed said it was useful and just 38 percent said it was acceptable to change a plant's genes to make its crop more nutritious or tastier.
Fifty-nine percent believed the use of altered genes in food products was "risky."
More than half of those asked said they would pay more for foods that did not contain modified ingredients.
The poll, undertaken on behalf of the European Union's executive Commission, was conducted among 15,000 people in the 15 EU countries.
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