Monsanto Gains Big Ground in GMO-Banned France
Despite the strict regulations making genetically modified foods scarce in the EU, France is not allowed to extend a ban on GMO food and animal feed using the emergency safeguard clause it originally cited, according to a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union.
France would need to prove that GMOs create “clear and serious risk to human or animal health or the environment” in order to declare them banned said the judgment, coming as a blow to the nation just days after the same high court ruled that all GMO foods must undergo an approval process for sale or distribution in Europe.
Defining the risks of GMOs is at the heart of many movements across the world, especially in the U.S. with organizations such as the Non-GMO Project; the forthcoming Right To Know March where thousands of concerned citizens will walk from New York City to Washington D.C. to promote awareness on the issue and to demand labeling on genetically modified foods; as well as the also forthcoming film by award-winning filmmaker Jeremey Seifert on the proliferation of GMOs in America.
The new European Union ruling appears to be procedurally more demanding (on the country) and less flexible than previous bans also under the EU emergency clause in use by Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Luxembourg, as well as France.
Monsanto (and other biotech companies) have been struggling to get a foothold in the EU market. (Currently, only Spain allows genetically modified foods.) Wikileaks documents released earlier this year showed high level U.S. government officials working to help promote Monsanto’s agenda and foster relationships for the world’s largest manufacturer of genetically modified seeds throughout Europe.
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image: Abode of Chaos
