The British government is re-examining the possibility of a three-year moratorium on commercial planting of genetically modified (GM) crops. Clearance for production would be dictated by the outcome of research about their possible impact on human health and the environment.
There is nothing to indicate that the Irish Government will follow suit, though the Minister for the Environment is reviewing policy. A consultation document last month expressed grave reservations about GM food labelling, yet strongly endorsed Ireland supporting biotechnology industry.
Earlier this year the British Labour government backed off a moratorium because the EU had authorised such crops and legal difficulties were feared. Increasing consumer opposition, however, has led it to examine the possibility of a voluntary code to delay the planting of GM crops until 2002. The decision rests with the Cabinet.
UK authorities had cleared the way for the first commercial GM crop development, using oilseed rape developed by the Belgian company, Plant Genetic Systems, from next year. In Ireland only GM crop trials have been allowed, with no produce permitted into the food chain.
The UK government commissioned a comprehensive research programme this year, but this will take years to complete.
The UK move comes as there is continuing fallout in Ireland over labelling. Ms Nuala Ahern, a Green MEP, yesterday called on Superquinn, Centra and Super valu supermarkets to withdraw customer leaflets on GM foods. She claimed their contents were misleading and said she was lodging an official complaint with the Director of Consumer Affairs. Genetic Concern made a similar complaint when an earlier form of EU labelling regulations was being introduced.
The leaflets, based on EU regulations and IBEC guidelines, are an infringement of the citizen's right to know, Ms Ahern alleged, because derivatives of genetically engineered crops were being exempted from labelling and some foods were allowed to contain a minimum threshold of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Where customers would not be aware of this they were not making an informed decision, she said. Calling GM crops environmentally-friendly could not be justified, as the proven possibilities of "horizontal gene transfer" and superweeds indicated otherwise, she Ahern claimed.
The Irish Food and Drink Federation, which represents IBEC on GM food issues, last week defended labelling arrangements and called on the Government to mount an information campaign making consumers aware of the benefits of GM foods and biotechnology in a balanced way.
The federation said the campaign should highlight the strict manner in which the foods were regulated and the safety procedures involved. The labelling regulations represented a process of education based on science, its spokeswoman, Ms Kathryn Raleigh, added.
Differences over labelling have continued, however, with the latest breaking of ranks coming from the British supermarket group Asda. It is to ban GM ingredients in all its new food lines.
It is also asking suppliers to use GM-free ingredients in existing brands. Public opposition to both GM foods and crops prompted the move, the corporate affairs manager, Mr Phil Reed, said.
In effect, this was a phasing out of GM foods in its 220 stores, while allowing time for change with existing GM products, he added. Asda's move follows a decision by Tesco to label all products containing GM ingredients, although the EU regulations allow for derivatives such as lecithins and vegetable oils to be exempt.
Meanwhile, there is further bad news for the GM food industry as the EU's scientific committee on plants has rejected for the first time authorisation for the growing of a GM crop.
It expressed "serious doubts" about the safety of a high-starch potato developed by a Dutch company which was resistant to the antibiotic, amikacin. According to the European Commission, it was rejected because of inadequate risk assessment; notably of potential consequences of genetic material crossing species to humans, animals and the environment.
Friends of the Irish Environment has called for a new approach to risk-evaluation given the failure of Genetic Concern's High Court case against the EPA and Monsanto. The case highlighted the absence of effective public participation in Irish decision-making on risk, it claimed.
Experts and regulators must accept the public's right to share in these decisions, it said.
