Plaid Cymru Euro-MP Jill Evans MEP has welcomed today's spectacular U-turn on GMOs by the European Commission. The outgoing Prodi Commission yielded to substantial pressure from the environmental lobby and from public opinion and postponed today's scheduled decision on new labelling limits for GMO contaminated seeds.

But the Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader attacked the Commission's decision to allow farmers to grow up to 17 different types of GM maize seeds in the EU.

Now the decision will have to be taken by the new Commission, which is due to take office in November – subject to approval by MEPs.

Speaking from Brussels, Jill Evans MEP said:

"The incoming Commission now has an excellent opportunity to draw up a new proposal that guarantees freedom of choice for growers and consumers. There is massive public opposition across Europe to GM crops and the last thing the outgoing Commission should have done was rush through unacceptable legislation.

"The Commission should bear in mind the Parliament's resolution not to approve the release of any more GM crops until rules on coexistence – including a system of civil responsibility and adhering to the polluter pays principle – have been adopted and put in place in the EU."

Ms Evans had earlier protested that proceeding with today's decision to establish a threshold of 0.3% for unlabelled GM seed contamination of maize and oilseed rape amounted to an attempt to 'legitimise GM contamination by stealth'.

This would have effectively opened the door to new cross-contamination and flouted principles on co-existence between GM and non-GM crops, supported by a large margin by the European Parliament when introduced last November by Ms Evans' Parliamentary Group.

Ends

Survey findings state that 70% of EU citizens are opposed to GM crops.

Jill Evans MEP will host a major one day conference on GM Crops - 'Science for a GM Free Europe' - at the European Parliament in Brussels on 20 October. The conference will draw together farmers' and organic producers' representatives, politicians and an international panel of independent scientists. The conference is organised by the Institute of Science in Society, Independent Science Panel, GM-Free Cymru and Third World Network in conjunction with Jill Evans MEP.