MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 22, 2009

European consumers warned that trade deal with Canada could be used to weaken GMO regulations

Ottawa - An alliance of Canadian groups is warning European consumers that an economic partnership agreement with Canada could threaten Europe’s regulations of genetically modified (GM) foods and crops. The Canadian groups, under the umbrella of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, are highlighting dangers if the European Union gives in to the biotech industry by recognizing Canada’s substantially weaker GM regulations.

“Canada-EU trade negotiations have started at the very time that European companies are pulling products off the shelves because of illegal GM flax contamination from Canada,” said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

On Monday, week-long negotiations began in Ottawa towards an EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Negotiations will continue over the next 12 months with the goal of a deal by 2011.

“European consumers should know that Canadian regulations of GM foods and crops are not to be trusted. There are irreconcilable differences between Canadian and EU regulation of GMOs,” said Sharratt. “This summer alone, Canada has managed to contaminate Europe’s food with an illegal GM flax as well as authorize Monsanto’s new eight-trait GM corn called ‘SmartStax’ in a way that does not meet European regulations or even UN food safety guidelines.”

“Canada approves GM crops and foods regardless of export market realities. Rather than preventing GM contamination, Canada is using GM contamination to try to force open European regulations,” said Sharratt. “The Canadian government’s acceptance of GM contamination means that Canadian farmers are loosing money and export markets.” Other major GM producing countries such as Argentina and Brazil check export market requirements as part of their GMO authorization process.

“Recent statements show that the EU’s Agriculture chief, Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, is on a personal crusade to weaken EU GM rules for no good reason,” said Helen Holder from Friends of the Earth Europe, “She and her other colleagues at the Commission should instead be supporting European farmers and food producers to access uncontaminated products.

urope has a responsibility here to insist that the Canadian government strengthen its strategy against illegal contamination.”
24 EU countries have reported contamination from a Canadian GM flax that is not approved for eating or growing in Europe and that has actually been illegal to sell as seed in Canada since 2001. Opposition to GM food and crops remains high in the EU. Six member countries have banned the only GM crop approved for growing in Europe and just this month Ireland declared itself a “GM-Free Zone”. Canada will almost certainly pressure the EC to force Member States to weaken Europe’s GMO laws.

Canadian companies, including subsidiaries of US multinationals such as Monsanto, would like Europe and Canada to mutually recognize each other’s national standards and regulations rather than each jurisdiction harmonizing upwards to stricter rules. This position was outlined by the Canada Europe Roundtable for Business in March 2009.

"The Canada-EU trade negotiations are designed to pick up where the WTO has stalled, in removing EU state-level policies that protect health and safety but interfere with trade flows, including food and agriculture,” said Stuart Trew, trade campaigner with the Council of Canadians, Canada’s largest grassroots advocacy organization. “Canadians are fighting for stronger regulations and we don't want to be locked into a bilateral agreement that dictates our regulations either. These negotiations are all about facilitating business and this is not the proper forum for addressing food safety policy.”

Click here for background information on trade and GMOs.

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For more information: Lucy Sharratt, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, 613 241 2267 ext. 6 or cell 613 263 9511; Helen Holder, Friends of the Earth Europe, + 32 4 74 857 638; Stuart Trew, Council of Canadians, 647 222 9782; strew@canadians.org.