FRANCE 9 February 2008 Government freeze on genetically-modified crops due to end. Activist on hunger strike to see it extended

A government freeze on genetically-modified crops is due to end on Feb 9, and Parliament will debate extending it in the days beforehand. France is Europe's top agricultural producer. Meanwhile, French anti-globalization activist Jose Bove said on Jan 3 that he would not eat again until the government imposes a year-long ban on GM crops.

The government has suspended, pending new legislation, use of the highly bug-resistant MON810 maize developed by Monsanto and the only GM crop authorised in France.

In the United States, almost all crops are now genetically modified and the debate is largely closed. In Europe, with its increasing green consciousness and strong agricultural traditions, the GM crop issue remains extremely controversial. Some European Union officials remain wary of using products that could endanger insects and fish and disturb ecosystems. The bloc remains largely free of GM crops while promising further scientific environmental and safety studies, as allowed by EU law and World Trade Organization rules.

Some experts see increasing pressure on the bloc's safety and environment arguments against GM crops as science does not provide a definitive answers in either area, while high prices for non-GM grain and new GM carbon-saving crop varieties could force Europe to rethink its opposition.

Bove became famous in 1999 after ransacking a half-built McDonald's hamburger chain outlet in southern France, and was convicted in 2007 of ripping up GM crops in the same region. He is demanding that the government uses a so-called safeguard clause that allows EU countries to ban GM crops.

GM crops cover less than one percent of farmland in France, Europe's top agricultural producer. Jan/08

RELATED READING:

Science and policy collide in EU over genetically modified crops (IHT 7 Dec 2007)
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/09/news/gmo.php?page=2

Europe will be forced to rethink on GM crops (Telegraph 3 Jan 2008)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/01/03/eagm103.xml

Hunger strike in France to protest gene-altered crops (IHT 2 Jan 2008)
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/02/europe/gmo.php