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As part of a statement yesterday on the results of the Grenelle de l’Environnement, the French President announced the suspension of the commercial cultivation of biotech crops in France. This suspension would be in force until a new body, which is expected to be created before the end of the year, has been able to assess the subject.
In the statement the French President justifies his decision on the basis of supposed doubts on the value of biotech crops, the ability to manage their dissemination and their health and environmental benefits.
President Sarkozy‘s call for the creation of a new independent body shows distrust in the accumulated scientific evidence to date, of the expert opinions from both the French Food Agency (AFSSA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and of the European approval system generally.
A suspension will greatly damage the competitiveness of French farmers who have benefited from this technology for the past 3 years. An exclusive CSA Institute survey for the French Maize growers shows that 52% of the French are in favour of using the cultivation of biotech crops to safeguard the competitiveness of French farmers.
French farmers should have the right voluntarily to choose whether or not to grow approved biotech crops.
EuropaBio welcomes the reported remarks by EU Agriculture Commissioner Fischer Boel on the illegality of a ban on biotech crops in France and EU Environment Commissioner Dimas asking France’s President Niclolas Sarkozy to revoke his proposed suspension of the commercial cultivation of biotech crops because it is contrary to European law.
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"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
