Two thirds of EU states (66%) are requesting to opt-out of growing genetically modified crops, effectively banning GMO crops in most of Europe.
The ‘opt-out’ clause of a European Commission rule has allowed nineteen EU states to ban GM crops from being grown in their countries, meaning that Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, and Slovenia will no longer allow Monsanto into their countries.
RT.com reports:
GMO-free zone: Germany tells EU it bans genetically modified crops cultivation http://t.co/1agML3YReY pic.twitter.com/3p5Ln69rWc
— RT America (@RT_America) October 1, 2015
UPDATE: With Luxembourg, at least 16 EU countries & 4 regions now say NO to #GMO http://t.co/C98Hb2traM pic.twitter.com/1EeO3uGtgS — Greenpeace EU (@GreenpeaceEU) October 2, 2015
The opt-out states de facto are requesting that biotechnology companies exclude their territories from GMO seed sales. Brivio says that requests are being communicated to the companies, which have a month to reply.
The decision would affect major GMO producers, including Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer and Dow Chemical – all developers of herbicide-resistant maize – who have already submitted applications for the cultivation of genetically modified plants to the EC.
The potential use of GMO in Europe has been a widely-debated subject, with environmentalists claiming that it would damage biodiversity.
The EU let countries opt out of #GMO crops in their soil- they did. http://t.co/njLZOEAA8X #monsanto pic.twitter.com/jwtHjacuhV
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) October 2, 2015
The more you know: #GMOs explained in 60 seconds: https://t.co/yc9MjhEHoD #video #education — Monsanto Europe (@MonsantoEurope) October 2, 2015
Monsanto, whose Roundup herbicide packed with glyphosate was labeled by the World Health Organization’s as a “possible carcinogen,” has led a campaign against the environmentalists ahead of the deadline, claiming that the ban “contradicts and undermines the scientific consensus on the safety of MON810.”