PetrVe
17. 10. 2001 18:38
Zestavi Evropska unie dovoz manipulovane soji od Monsanta?
GREENPEACE URGES THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO STOP IMPORT OF MONSANTO'S GENETICALLY MODIFIED "RR" SOYA, 6 September 2001,
Brussels - Greenpeace today urged the European Commission to recognise that Monsanto's genetically modified soya,currently imported and sold under the commercial name "Roundup Ready" (RR), has never received an EU approval and should, herefore, be withdrawn from the market. The demand is contained in a letter addressed to Environment commissioner, Margot Wallström, and Health and Consumer Protection commissioner, David Byrne. According to a peer-reviewed study, recently published by a team of Belgian scientists, the genome of Monsanto's "RR" soya currently marketed in the EU contains "unknown DNA". Therefore, it does not correspond to the genetic map of the RR soya for which an EU authorisation was granted in April 1996. The paper reports "…a DNA segment of 534 bp (base pairs) DNA for which no sequence homology could be detected". The scientists conclude that "…during integration of the insert DNA rearrangements or a large deletion may have occurred". These latest findings follow the discovery of two other unexpected gene fragments in the RR soya by the same team last year. This "unknown" DNA could influence the regulation and/or functioning of neighbouring genes, or possibly code for an unknown protein. If it is rearranged DNA, it could have been part of, or a regulatory element for, one or more plant genes, leading to malfunctioning of these genes. "According to the EU rules - said Brigid Gavin, Greenpeace European Unit - the accurate description of the inserted DNA and its expected functions is fundamental in the risk assessment required for GMO approvals, which are always granted on a case by case basis. From a legal point of view, therefore, the only adequate reaction from the European and national authorities would be to suspend the current approval and re-evaluate the environmental and health impact of the genetically modified 'RR' soya". In a separate move, Greenpeace Netherlands today has taken the first step towards legal action by formally requesting the Dutch Health Minister to halt imports of Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" soya. Greenpeace has warned the Minister that it will present the case to a national judge if its request does not receive a satisfactory answer within four weeks. Greenpeace is also drawing attention to other scientific studies, published after the introduction of Monsanto's genetically modified soya, which highlight unexpected and unexplained effects, potentially related to either the inserted gene or the insertion process. In particular, a peer reviewed report (published in March /April 2001) following fields trials with genetically modified soya in the US shows a 5% yield suppression, compared to conventional crops. Scientists conclude that the yield suppression appears to be associated with the Roundup Ready gene or its insertion process, rather than with the type of soya variety used or the application of the Roundup herbicide (glyphosate) on the crops. Further studies on RR Soya include Lappé et al. (1998/1999) on alteration in clinical important phytoestrogens, King et al. (2001) on nitrogenase activity in response to glyphosate application, Coghlan, A. (1999) on increased lignin content, which made RR soya plants brittle in hot temperatures. All these studies clearly demonstrate the need and urgency of a thorough scientific reassessment of the RR soya.