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Immediate release: Monday 23 January 2006
AUSTRIA BANS MONSANTO'S GM OILSEED RAPE

Friends of the Earth has today welcomed the decision by the Austrian
Government to ban Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape. This
brings the total number of European bans on GM foods or crops to twelve [1].
The decision by the current EU presidency follows November's referendum in
Switzerland which put in place a five year moratorium on growing GM crops
and comes ahead of the WTO GM dispute ruling, which will include whether
countries are allowed to impose such bans. Friends of the Earth is calling
on the UK Government to follow suit.

The Austrian decision to ban Monsanto's oilseed rape, GT73, is based on the
risk of genetic contamination and the inadequate risk assessment carried out
before the European Commission authorised it for import in August 2005. This
authorisation came despite a majority of EU Environment Ministers blocking
its approval in December 2004 [2] for environmental and health reasons.

Friends of the Earth wrote to the Government following the approval of GT73
oilseed rape, urging it to impose a national ban in the UK to protect health
and the environment, but it refused.

Friends of the Earth's GM Campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said:

"The Austrian decision to ban this GM oilseed rape is a clear sign of the
growing frustration with the EU's undemocratic decisions to approve GM food.
Opposition to GM crops and food is growing - in the UK over eighteen million
people live in GM free areas. It is time the UK Government accepted that
there are genuine concerns surrounding this GM oilseed rape, and banned it
too.

GMOs are now banned in seven European countries, while the number of EU
regions banning GMOs is also growing:

*172 Regions in the European Union and 4500 local authorities and other
zones have now declared themselves GMO free [3] and are calling for the
right of Regions to decide whether or not to grow GMOs. This includes 60
local authorities in the UK.

*In June 2005, the EU Commission was defeated by Member States when it tried
to force them to drop national GMO bans [4].

NOTES:

[1] GMO bans in the European Union:

Germany
Syngenta's Bt176 maize (banned 31/03/2000) - Reason: effects on non-target
insects + transfer of antibiotic resistance genes to humans and animals +
insects could develop resistance to the Bt

France
Bayer's oilseed rape Topas 19/2 (banned 16/11/1998) - Reason: impact of
genetic escape and spread of herbicide tolerance Bayer's oilseed rape
MS1xRf1 (banned 16/11/1998) - Reason: impact of genetic escape and spread of
herbicide tolerance

Austria
Syngenta's Bt176 maize (banned 13/02/1997) - Reason: effects on non-target
insects such as butterflies + transfer of antibiotic resistance genes to
humans and animals Bayer's T25 maize (banned
28/4/2000) - Reason: protection of sensitive areas, lack of monitoring plan
and concerns about the herbicide used Monsanto's MON810 maize
(banned 10/06/1999) - Reason: Effects on non-target insects

Hungary
Monsanto¹s maize MON810 seeds (banned 20/01/2005)

Luxembourg
Syngenta's Bt176 maize (banned 07/02/1997) - Reason: Transfer of antibiotic
resistance genes to humans and animals

Greece
Bayer's oilseed rape Topas 19/2 (banned 08/09/1998) - Reason: impact of
genetic escape Monsanto¹s maize MON810 seeds (Commission ruled to overturn
ban earlier this month)

Poland
Monsanto's maize MON810 seeds

[2]
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/european_commission_approv_2809
2005.html

Voting Results of Environment Council on 20/12/2004:
*For* : SK, SE, FR, PT, FI, NL. (78 votes)
*Against* : IT, GR, DK, PO, MT, BE, HU, LT, LV, CY, AT, EE et LU. (135
votes)
*Abstention* : IE, SI, ES, DE, CZ et UK. (108 votes)

[3] see http://www.gmofree-europe.org/ for further information

[4] see http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/AB_24_June_vote.htm

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This GMO news service is underwritten by a generous grant from the Newman's
Own Foundation, edited by Thomas Wittman and is a production of the
Ecological Farming Association www.eco-farm.org <http://www.eco-farm.org/>
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