The rules include a ‘double-lock feature, allowing member states to first ask the Commission to insist a GM manufacturer excludes their territory from the scope of authorisation. If the company refuses to do so, the member state is then able to issue its own ban.
Nineteen of the twenty-eight member states had requested opt-outs before the deadline (October 3rd) for all or part of their territory. The 19 requests are from Austria, Belgium for the Wallonia region, Britain for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany (except for research), Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovenia.
Of the EU members only Romania and Ireland have defended their decision not to opt-out of cultivating GMOs. A spokesman for the Irish government said that taking political action to restrict cultivation, where such cultivation would not occur in any case, was unnecessary. Meanwhile Romania’s Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin said his country had no interest in opting out on GM crops. "We only cultivate one type of genetically modified maize, on a very small surface, which has been approved as safe by the Commission.”
Member states opting-out of GMO cultivation have cited a variety of reasons. Scotland has chosen to ban genetically modified crops in Scotland to “protect our clean and green brand” and avoid “gambling with the future of our £14 billion food and drink sector” while Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment Mark H Durkan announced he was prohibiting the cultivation of GM crops because he was "unconvinced of the advantages”.
In England, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has said it will only allow GM crops to be planted and the marketing of GM food or feed products if a "robust risk assessment indicates that it is safe for people and the environment".
Opt out on GM food and feed
A similar opt out on imports of GMO fodder was also been proposed. Despite a low uptake of GM technology within the EU many livestock farmers depend on imports of GM fodder, which is imported mainly from South and North America where 90% of the soya bean crop is GM.
After discussions in both the European Parliament’s Environment and Agriculture committees, the whole parliament voted to reject the proposal by 619 votes to 58. However, the Commission still refuses to withdraw the proposal, despite the parliament approving an amendment telling it to start again. It has stood firm on the issue ever since it was first published – saying it has no plan B to resolve the situation. It will now fall to the European Council – where farming minister George Eustice MP sits for the UK – to decide how to proceed. If the Council follows the Parliament and votes to reject, the Commission’s approach will be dead in the water.