By IPS Correspondents
PARIS, Jul 17 2000 (IPS)

The debate on controlling genetically modified organisms (GMOs) overshadowed all other environmental issues on the agenda at an informal EU ministers’ meeting in Paris this weekend.

France’s Environment Minister, Dominique Voynet, and her European Commission counterpart, Margot Wallstrom, gave a briefing Saturday on the discussions between the 15 EU environment ministers who met amongst the dinosaur bones at Paris’s natural history museum, on July 14 and 15.

EU legislation on GMOs is currently under review and opinions within the union are strongly divided. Voynet insisted Saturday that efforts were being made to overcome the ‘current blockage’ and that ministers had agreed there was an urgent need for decisions on labelling, traceability and liability on genetically modified products introduced into Europe.

They also agreed on international structures for enforcing the rules had to be made more efficient and rigorous.

GMOs, pioneered in the United States an on the market since the early 1990s, have been treated with extreme caution by the EU until now.

The concept of modifying plants to make them immune to herbicides or control the ripening process has raised fears in Europe that ‘superweeds’ could spread out of control, and modified products – not yet thoroughly tested – could have catastrophic effects on public health.

The GM industry is so new that the full implications of the new biotechnology are not known. Much of Europe is against even carrying out controlled tests on GM crops.

So far, only 12 products have been authorised for use on the continent and Europe’s biotech industry claims if regulations are further tightened they will have to pay crippling taxes and the fledgling industry will be forced out of Europe.

In June 1999, the prospect of ‘not knowing exactly what is on our plates’ compelled five EU ministers to decide on a de facto moratorium on GMO products – pending more detailed information on their effects and decisions on EU regulations.

Commissioner Wallstrom said Saturday the moratorium was illegal and insisted on the importance of establishing better European regulations to allow the industry to develop under control. She compared GMOs to chemicals to show the moratorium was excessive:

“Look, we know there are between 300 and 500 chemicals in the body that are not natural. So should we be banning all chemicals until we can ascertain for absolutely certain what impact each one could have?”

What is important, she said, is that we have firm rules which are enforced.

“This is all about trying to regain public confidence,” Wallstrom said. On Friday, she announced that the commission would propose a package on traceability of GMOs this autumn.

But Voynet, a member of France’s Green Party, was more for caution saying that although the moratorium had no legal basis as such, it was in effect through consensus between member states, especially those where public opinion on GMOs was strong.

Both officials emphasised that the informal council meeting had been a useful forum for debate but that firm decisions could not be made until October’s formal meeting.

Klaus Toepfer, Director General of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Executive Direct of the European Environment Agency (EEA), Jimenez Beltran joined parts of the meeting.

The ministers also discussed, for the first time, the question of establishing a World Environment Organisation. Voynet explained there was strong consensus on the need for a more coherent international approach to environment questions – that would streamline policy, make institutions more efficient and cut out duplication of tasks and duties which is widely acknowledged under the current system.

Although Klaus Topfer has received wide acclaim for improvements he had made as director general of the UNEP, it is still widely felt that environmental issues are dealt with in a sporadic and rather uncoordinated manner.

The French minister added that no one saw the point of establishing yet another international organisation, to add to those already operating (the UNEP, the EEA, national regulation bodies).

Instead, she said, “everyone agreed there is a need for a place that can be identified by public as the place where things happen regarding environment and the place which is the privileged interlocutor with other international organisations.”

Voynet announced that a working committee had been set up, with ministers from France, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands and the Commission, which would examine the options and present a first stage report for ministers to consider at the formal Council meeting on October 10.

Although much of the Paris meeting was focused on the burning issue of GM foods, other major issues of environmental concern in Europe – such as climate change, air quality, noise and the treatment of waste – were discussed.

France has emphasised that during its six-month presidency, which began on July 1, it will push to continue integrating environment issues into all the policies of the EU, with emphasis on taxation and energy products, maritime safety and renewable energy.

Voynet also emphasised across the table consensus on involving developing countries further in the EU’s efforts to protect the environment.

“We wanted here to go further into one point which appears essential to me; the question of developing countries,” she said.

“We hope in the coming period to set up conditions to allow those countries to join us in our efforts. We hope also we can respond to their aspirations. And take into account their positions in the negotiations on matters such as the development mechanisms, the even spread of our efforts and the respect for commitments already made to certain countries and to mobilise the means to work with developing countries.”

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