The European Parliament rejects the proposal on GMO imports; Slow Food welcomes the decision

Today the European Parliament rejected the Commission’s proposal on GM crop imports for use as food and feed, and called for a new proposal. Slow Food welcomes this decision. A ban against the use of genetically modified food and feed at a national level would have been impossible to implement according to the rules of the European common market. This proposal would not have protected European citizens and the environment against the risks related to the use of GMO products.

Among the amendments presented in the Report of Giovanni La Via and voted on by the Parliament, two were of particular concern to civil society: The first amendment, asking the Commission to present a new proposal, was approved by members of Parliament; the second one, which included a moratorium on the authorization of new GMO products and on the renewal of old ones, was rejected.

Ursula Hudson, President of Slow Food Germany, affirms: “Member states have sent clear message against GMOs in the last weeks, and so have European citizens. President Juncker promised to review the procedural rules governing GMO authorizations in Europe so that the Commission would no longer be able to authorize GMOs when a clear majority opposes this. The current proposal fails to deliver on this commitment. If the Commission is not deaf to its citizens, members of parliament and member states, then it should present a new proposal.”

Slow Food regrets that the proposal on the moratorium on new GM products was rejected. Such a moratorium would have allowed decision-makers to work in an environment less influenced by market’s interests.

TTIP (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) lingers on the European debate on GMOs. This free trade agreement between Europe and the United States, if approved, could substantially alter democratic decision making in favor of avoiding any potential barrier to trade. Slow Food is part of a broad international coalition asking to stop TTIP, an initiative supported by over 3 million European citizens.

For further information, please contact the Slow Food International Press Office:

Paola Nano, +39 329 8321285 [email protected] 

Slow Food involves over a million of people dedicated to and passionate about good, clean and fair food. This includes chefs, youth, activists, farmers, fishers, experts and academics in over 158 countries; a network of around 100,000 Slow Food members linked to 1,500 local chapters worldwide (known as convivia), contributing through their membership fee, as well as the events and campaigns they organize; and over 2,500 Terra Madre food communities who practice small-scale and sustainable production of quality food around the world.