en | fr |    Press releasesBrussels 04.03.2010

Amflora potato: GMO debate blocked in EU Parliament

Presidents of the EU Parliament's largest political groups today blocked a Greens/EFA request - supported by the GUE/NGL Group - for a debate on GMOs in next week's  plenary session in Strasbourg. The request follows the EU Commission's decision to authorise cultivation of the genetically-engineered 'Amflora' potato, the first such authorisation of a GM plant in 12 years. The Commission took its decision despite concerns on consequences for health and the environment. On Monday, 8 March, the Greens/EFA Group will repeat their request to include the issue on the parliamentary agenda.

Greens/EFA Co-Presidents Rebecca Harms and Daniel Cohn-Bendit today wrote to Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner John Dalli to protest against the decision and lack of transparency that preceded it.

The letter is online here:
http://www.greens-efa.org/cms/topics/dokbin/330/330295.amflora_potato_letter_to_commissioner_jo@en.pdf