Sinn Féin MEPs Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion have strongly criticised the passing of a new law which will ease rules around New Genomic Technologies (NGTs) in farming and food.
Despite both MEPs working with the Left Group to try and stop this harmful law, or at least to improve it, the law was passed by the parliament.
Lynn, the Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin said:
“It’s really disappointing to see this law passed.
It’s also disappointing that the MEPs from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael voted to support this change.
“NGTs is essentially just a new name for GMOs, which had previously been tightly regulated by the Parliament.
“This vote however, is the parliament giving in to pressure from big agro chemical companies to scrap any real accountability on them by removing requirements for risk-assessment, traceability and labelling.
“We now have a situation where the public will be left with no real knowledge about consuming genetically modified produce, and the sheer extent of it within the food chain.
“On top of the food safety concerns coming from the Mercosur deal, we really are seeing the EU’s high standard of food safety being undermined to suit these big businesses at the expense of ordinary people.
Kathleen Funchion MEP added:
“Organic and small-scale farmers are deeply concerned about the risk of contamination fromgenetically modified crops, yet this legislation fails to provide adequate protection from GMO-free farming.
“The only clear winners from this proposal are the multinational biotechnology and agro-chemical giants who stand to profit from weaker regulation and greater control over our food systems.
“Farmers will once again be the ones paying the price. This regulation flies in the face of the objective of strengthening the position of farmers in the supply chain.
“Irish MEPs have a responsibility to stand up for strong safeguards, mandatory safety assessments, full traceability, and the right of people to know what is in their food.
“We in Sinn Féin are committed to opposing this and any legislation which tries to bring GMO crops in by the back door without the appropriate labelling, consumer protection and protection for farmers.”
