h

Kartika Liotard: ‘Keep GMOs Out'

24 April 2008

Kartika Liotard: ‘Keep GMOs Out'

The European Parliament’s centre-right Christian-Democrat group, the so-called European People’s Party (EPP), wants to see more space created for the approval of Genetically Manipulated Organisms (GMOs). During Wednesday’s debate in the European Parliament, EPP spokesman Neil Parish urged the European Commission to loosen controls on GMOs. SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard declared her opposition to any such move in no uncertain terms, arguing that current rules protect consumers from what she called “foodstuffs that have been tampered with”.

Kartika LiotardGMOs are already allowed to sneak on to European farms and markets. Recently, protests have been held in two areas of the Netherlands against experimental plantings by the multinational Monsanto. “There is a real risk that manipulated seeds will blow on to the fields of traditional or organic farmers who most certainly don't want these weeds growing amongst their crops,” Liotard said.

The SP Euro-MP, who sits on both the Environment and Agriculture Committees of the European Parliament, is also concerned about plans by Monsanto to take over the Dutch seed firm De Ruiter, one of the world’s leading companies in the sector. “It's clear that with this move Monsanto wants to extend its infiltration into Europe, either in expectation of a loosening of the regulations, or to be better able to put political decision-makers under pressure to loosen controls,” she said. “We must uncompromisingly resist this: public health, the environment and biodiversity are much more important to us than corporate profits.”

You are here