EU lawyers take action against Poland over GMO ban
Reuters reported European Union regulators plan to take legal action against Poland soon if they continue their ban against the trading and planting of genetically modified seeds. The World Trade Organization ruled a couple years ago that this practice was against international trade practices, so hopefully the EU gets their act together soon.
C.S. Prakash
EU lawyers take action against Poland over GMO ban
Reuters
January 31, 2008
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union regulators launched legal action against Poland at Europe's highest court on Thursday for the country's move to ban the trade in and planting of genetically modified seeds, the EU executive said.
Poland's plans for what amounts to a national GMO ban, announced last year, quickly drew criticism from European Commission lawyers who routinely scrutinise any such proposals.
Earlier this month, they said it had no scientific justification. But Poland's insistence in proceeding with the ban, despite several warning letters sent from Brussels, meant the Commission now had to resort to legal action, it said.
"On the basis of the information provided by the Polish authorities in their replies to these letters, the Commission has no alternative but to refer Poland to the ECJ," it said, referring to the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice.
"In their reply, the Polish authorities confirm their intention to maintain the ban Polish authorities believe that the use of GM seeds encroaches on the sphere of public morality, an encroachment that would justify a total ban on GM seeds."
As tested on several previous occasions, the Commission takes the view that if a region wants to ban GMO crops or products, such restrictions must be scientifically justified and crop-specific to comply with EU law.
