EuropaBio (News Release)
Wednesday, 28th October 1998European Commission To Urgently
Resolve Pending Regulatory Issues
Concerning Deliberate Release Of
GMOs On The Market
During a press lunch at EuropaBios 2nd Biotechnology Congress in Brussels, attended by about 40 journalists, the revision of theEU-Directive 90/220 for permitting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the market came under severe criticism. Tim Stocker, Chairman of EuropaBios task force on the 90/220 Directive, said that if the present legislation deficit is not resolved, "Europe will be without a biotechnology industry with all that this holds for the future of European society. Imagine -Stocker added - a Europe without the telephone, the computer, the motor car, the train." The problem is not that the EU-Directive requires risk assessments to be made which relate to human health and environment. On the contrary, European biotechnological companies are in favour of a science-based stringent system which they consider to be crucial for public confidence and would allow them to plan ahead. As Member States use the EU legislation for political purposes, the regulation system has become so capricious as to its outcome that it undermines public confidence in the procedure and therefore in the technology. The Memorandum to the revision of the Directive 90/220, proposed by the Commission, confirms it is essential that regulation does not unnecessarily hinder the potential for technological innovation and indeed improves some deadlines for the different steps in the approval procedure. However, EuropaBio believes that the limited consent period of seven years is totally unworkable and unnecessary. EuropaBio represents 45 multinational operating corporate members and 14 national associations (totalling around 600 SMEs) involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products. EuropaBio, the voice of European bioindustries, aims to be a promoting force for biotechnology and to present its proposals to industry, politicians, regulators, NGOs, and the public at large.
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