Reuters | December 16, 1999 | By David Brough
ROME - Italian and Spanish farm leaders would back a Europe-wide body to regulate genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
"To guarantee (food) security and the trust of (industry) operators, the EU should create a scientific body that would apply a transparent procedure to assess risks of GMOs, both before they reach the market and afterwards," Augusto Bocchini, president of Italian producers group Confagricoltura, said in a recent speech.
"Confagricoltura does not intend to be dragged along by enthusiasm (over bio-technology), nor will it (seek to) delay the progress of bio-tech innovation," Bocchini told a conference in Verona.
On Tuesday a group of U.S. and French farmers brought a lawsuit against life sciences company Monsanto Co for allegedly selling genetically altered crops without first ensuring they were safe.
Monsanto said its products are safe and the lawsuit was unfounded.
Confagricoltura spokeswoman Gabriella Bechi said her organisation was monitoring scientific investigation into the impact of GMOs on health and the environment, while supporting the labelling of products as to their GM content.
The EU insists on precise labelling for GM crops and foods derived from them, and has been much slower in approving new GM products than the United States.
European Union scientists on Monday proposed setting up a new EU-wide food safety agency to coordinate advice and limit the potential for damaging trade disputes.
It would also deal with food crises. But the scientists stopped short of recommending tough regulatory powers similar to those enjoyed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Growing consumer concern about the safety of GMOs has meant that no new GM crops have been authorised in the EU since April 1998, raising fears of another trade war with the United States, which has been unable to export millions of dollars of GM crops such as maize to Europe.
Italy produces mainly GM-free crops, including soybeans, of which the country is by far the EU's biggest producer.
Both Italy and Spain, which also mainly produces GM-free crops, are net importers of grains and oilseeds, and buy GM soybeans from the United States and South America.
SPANISH FARMERS URGE STRINGENT SAFETY
Jose Ramon, biotechnology spokesman at Spain's main farming group, the Madrid-based Young Farmers' Association (ASAJA), said stringent safety controls were vital for GM foods, but farmers had to trust the recommendations of scientific authorities.
"The more safety controls, the better," he told Reuters. "But we must be guided by the advice of scientific authorities."
Ramon said he favoured the establishment of an EU-wide scientific body similar to the FDA to approve and supervise new GM varieties entering the market.
"It would be useful to have an FDA-type organisation in the EU," he said.
David Brough, Rome newsroom +39 06 8540049, fax +39 68540568 rome.newsroom+reuters.com
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