06/06/08 Greenpeace- Consiliul ministrilor pe mediu Luxemburg- reactie Greenpeace

Greenpeace reactive statement on Environment Council - Car emissions, GMOs

Germany play carpet-dealing game at the expense of the climate

Franziska Achterberg, Greenpeace EU transport campaigner, said: "Today’s Environment Council has shown that a majority of member states support a car emissions target in 2020, but that Germany is still at the beck and call of its car industry."

"German environment minister Sigmar Gabriel is playing a carpet-dealing game at the expense of the climate and with the sole purpose of securing more concessions for the German car industry."

"The Council negotiations made it clear that Germany is resorting to blackmail and will only support a 2020 target in exchange for the weakening of other parts of the legislation."

EU ministers call for reform of GMO authorisation system

Marco Contiero, Greenpeace EU GMO campaign director, said: "Greenpeace welcomes the recognition by EU ministers that the GMO evaluation and authorisation process needs to be reformed. Environment ministers concluded that the EU GMO authorisation system must become more transparent and effective and that the
risk assessment procedures underpinning it need to be improved. The same conclusions were reached by the European Commission, which held a debate on GMOs last month.

Member states have called for a reform of the scientific expertise involved in GMO risk assessment and for further discussions on the long-term impacts of GMOs in different geographical areas. It is now clear that the authorisation process must be halted until risk assessment procedures are truly independent and compliant with EU legal requirements.

Only a stringent, transparent and independent GMO risk evaluation will be able to take account of the risks posed by GMOs on human health, the environment and the future of conventional and organic agriculture in Europe.