Action needed! Stop the EU Commission from lifting GMO ban.
Help stop the European Commission from lifting the national bans on genetically modified (GM) food and crops under WTO pressure
10.06.2005 |Sascha Gabizon
We need your urgent help to stop the European Commission from lifting the national bans on genetically modified (GM) food and crops under WTO pressure!!
The European Commission has called for a vote at the next Environmental Council in Luxembourg on 24 June, asking member states to vote on proposals to end national bans on GM food and crops. As you will recall, the Commission tried this last year and we succeeded in blocking their proposals but we didn’t get quite enough votes to stop them altogether. For EU countries to stop the Commission they must vote against their proposals with a so-called “qualified majority”. This is the weighted voting system used in Europe. Therefore it is very important that countries do not simply abstain but vote against the Commission. See how your country voted last time.
You can send a letter, fax or email to your government, asking them to vote AGAINST the European Commission proposals to end with the national bans.
Close to end of the GMO trade dispute?
The US-led complaint at the WTO will be ruled next October/November after being delayed again a few months. However, following the WTO rules, it may be followed by an appeal phase. The final ruling on the case can be expected by the earliest beginning of 2006.
If the WTO does not rule in favour of the European Union, the WTO could significantly harm the right of governments to set up its own rules to protect people and environments against the risks from GMOs. As a consequence of the dispute, government’s around the world might be reluctant to put in place strict legislation to control the release of GMOs.
We have collected over 129 000 citizens’ objections to the WTO, demanding them not to undermine our right to eat GMO free food and to protect the rights of governments to choose GMO free farming. We will hand out a second round of citizens’ objection to the WTO in the autumn.
More citizens’ objections are needed and you can help us to collect more signatures.
Thanks a lot for your time!
Carmen Olmedo
Bite Back campaign
Carmen Olmedo
GMO Campaign & Bite Back Campaign Assistant
Friends of the Earth Europe
Rue Blanche, 15
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: 0032 (0)2 542 61 00
Fax:0032 (0)2 537 55 96
carmen.olmedo@foeeurope.org
http://www.foeeurope.org
http://www.bite-back.org
