Jill Evans MEP, Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales' leader in the European Parliament, today urged Member States to reject European Commission proposals to lift the moratorium on authorising the marketing of new GM products.

In a recent Working Paper the Commission propsed that GMO producers should comply with both the stricter approval requirements of the new GMO release and the proposals for regulations on traceability and labelling of GMOs on a "voluntary basis".

Speaking before a meeting between the Commission and Member States in Brussels tomorrow (Wednesday, 17th October) Jill Evans MEP said:

"The Commission's proposal is outrageous. It is absurd that such proposals are put forward before the necessary regulations on GMOs are adopted and adequately applied. The new deliberate release Directive is far from being implemented and the competent regulatory committee is yet to take any of the decisions needed to ensure that it is properly implemented. The Commission's behaviour is nothing but a blunt attempt to by-pass Parliament. By taking a fait accompli approach, the Commission behaves as if the proposals are already law, though they still must be approved by parliament.

"Only six months ago, six Member States reaffirmed that any authorisation for new GMO products being placed on the market must be 'suspended until effective arrangements are adopted for the thorough traceability of GMO's enabling reliable labelling of all GMO-derived products to be guaranteed.' This is obviously not the case. In fact, nothing has changed since this declaration was made".

Ms Evans who is a member of the European Parliamentary Committee on the Environment and Public Health concluded:

"The Commission is obviously under pressure to clear those products which have been approved by the Scientific Committee on Plants. But these assessments are based on the old Directive which are no longer valid. The new rules require a much broader risk assessment and require close monitoring and follow-up reports. They also demand that information on genetic modifications in GMO products be recorded in a public register. No such arrangements exist as yet."

DIWEDD/END.