Plaid Cymru Euro MP Jill Evans has called for an overwhelming case to be made for Wales to be treated as a special geographical area under new European laws on GMO releases to allow the GM free Wales decision to be implemented.

Visiting West Wales today (Friday, 27th April), Ms Evans will tell campaigners in Pembrokeshire that new European rules do allow for GM free zones which means that when they become law we could see a truly GM free Wales.

Ms Evans, who is Wales’ only member of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment and Public Health, said:

"The new European Directive on GMO releases strengthens the measures which need to be taken on risk assessment, monitoring and public information. More importantly, it includes a number of clauses which refer to the need to protect specific environmental areas, ecosystems and biodiversity. This could allow us to achieve a truly GM free Wales."

"Although the legislation entered into force on 17th April 2001, the deadline for it to become law in Britain is October 2002, so it is not yet enforceable. However, I have called on the government in the meantime to act in the spirit of the new Directive and declare both areas in Pembrokeshire and Flintshire as particular environments or ecosystems under the terms of the new Directive within which no planting or marketing consents will be granted."

"In the longer term I believe that we in Wales can prepare an overwhelming case on both democratic and environmental grounds to ensure that the government uses this new law to make Wales itself a special geographical area which will be GM free in line with the wishes of the people of Wales."

"To this end I am today launching a campaign to persuade all local authorities in Wales to take specific action to support this aim. I will be asking them to sign up to a declaration that they will, for example, use their powers to prevent their land being used for experimentation, cultivation, breeding of living organisms, vegetables or animals obtained through genetic manipulation."

"I’m looking forward to share experiences and information with campaigners in Pembrokeshire which will hopefully further strengthen the campaign for a GM-free Wales."

Ms Evans has already highlighted this option in a letter to Assembly Minister Carwyn Jones.

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