Two years to list GM land
19 February 2001
Two years to list GM land
By FWi staff
THE government has been given less than two years to introduce a public register detailing all farm land used to grow genetically modified crops.
A revised European directive, which paves the way for a public register, was formally adopted on Friday (16 February), confirmed the European Commission.
The European Parliament had already voted in favour of amended legislation regarding a register following a two-day meeting last week in Strasbourg, France.
A spokesman from the Department of the Environment (DETR) said European Union countries had until autumn 2002 to introduce the new register.
“For the GM crop trials we already have a comprehensive public register which is open for inspection at DETR,” he told FARMERS WEEKLY.
The UK was one of the countries that had helped secure the directive and so was fully behind the measures it contained, the DETR spokesman added.
The London-based Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which has warned that GM crops could adversely affect land values, welcomed the news.
“Establishing a right to know where GM crops have been grown is absolutely essential for farmers and the public,” said RICS rural spokesman William Tew.
“One of the lessons to be learnt from the BSE crisis was that a lack of adequate and accurate records was a massive setback in winning back public confidence.”
Environment commissioner Margot Wallström said the directive represented an important milestone towards the restoration of public confidence in GM crops.
“The public is concerned about the use of these new technologies in the sector of health and the environment,” she said.
“It is our responsibility as policy makers to take up those concerns and address them in a coherent and transparent manner.”
The directive will tighten licensing, labelling and monitoring of GM crops.
It is hoped this will provide a more transparent and efficient framework to govern the handling of the controversial technology.