Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales will be launching a national petition to Keep Wales GM-Free at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd at 11.30am on Tuesday (22nd July 2003).

Jill Evans MEP, Simon Thomas MP, Jocelyn Davies AM and Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM will launch the petition at the Plaid Cymru MEPs stall. The petition calls on the National Assembly for Wales to pass strict new rules on GMOs in Wales. It reads:

“We the undersigned, call upon the Welsh Assembly Government to use the power given by the European Directive 2001/18 on the Deliberate Release of GMOs Article 16 and new Articles 26 (a) and 28 (a) to keep Wales GM-free.”

Earlier this month Jill Evans successfully put forward amendments in the European Parliament to strengthen the new EU regulations on GMOs. These new European laws will now allow Wales to take appropriate measures to prevent GM contamination of conventional and organic crops.

Plaid Cymru environment spokesperson, Simon Thomas MP, has also led a cross-party attack on the government's proposal on GM foods in the House of Commons. He has expressed his concerns over the government's haphazard and rushed policy and public debate on the introduction of GM foods in Britain.

Further information is included in the attached leaflet.

Journalists and photographers are welcome to attend the launch at 11.30am on Tuesday, 22nd July at the Plaid Cymru MEP’s stand (stand no. D301) at the Royal Welsh Showground.

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