Prof. Dr. Marc Van Montagu, Chairman, International Plant Biotechnology Organisation (IPBO) Gent University and president of the European Federation of Biotechnology, told journalists in Brussels today that European farmers are lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of access to agricultural biotechnology.

Marc Van Montagu, one of the best known plant biotech pioneers in Europe, is convinced that technology transfer and plant biotechnology research oriented to the needs of the developing countries are important: “Fighting the vicious circle of hunger and poverty is the most urgent task that faces our society, and will require a reformulation of current models of agriculture,” he said. But he also believes that the technology has already demonstrated considerable benefits in Europe, despite systematic attempts to deny European farmers the right to use a technology widely used in the rest of the world.

Although new figures published last week by ISAAA, The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, show that in 2006 the number of hectares globally cultivated with GM crops increased by 12 million hectares most of this growth came from countries such as China and India. Most EU farmers continue to be held back by a dysfunctional regulatory system and by disproportionate co-existence rules.

Prof. Marc Van Montagu is convinced that in Europe too often the GMO debate “centres on emotional arguments, rather than looking at scientific positives.” As a result he believes that EU countries are missing out on the benefits offered by biotech crops. For example the Hungarian government has refused to lift its ban on GMO maize. Mr. Gabor Balla, a Hungarian farmer, told journalists that “as long as Hungarian farmers are denied access to this beneficial and safe technology they are at a competitive disadvantage versus farmers from France, Czech Republic, Portugal, Germany, Spain and Slovakia who are already planting biotech crops. I’ve spoken with these farmers and they are happy with these new products, so why can’t I grow them? “

EuropaBio welcome the European Parliament’s own-initiative report “Biotechnology: Prospects and Challenges for Agriculture in Europe”* and the debate it is creating regarding future prospects and challenges of this promising technology. The Biotech industry encourages the members of the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament due to vote on 24th January 2007 to support Mr. Virrankoski’s report which highlights the benefits of agricultural biotechnologies in Europe.

The mission of the International Plant Biotechnology Organisation (IPBO) is training, technology transfer and plant biotechnology research oriented towards the needs of the developing countries.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) is a not-for-profit organization that delivers the benefits of new agricultural biotechnologies to the poor in developing countries. It aims to share these powerful technologies to those who stand to benefit from them and at the same time establish an enabling environment for their safe use. 

EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 70 direct members operating Worldwide, 12 associate members and 5 bioregions as well as 24 national biotechnology associations representing some 1800 small and medium sized enterprises involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.

* “Biotechnology: Prospects and Challenges for Agriculture in Europe”
Mr Virrankoski’s report describes well the current situation facing agricultural biotechnology in Europe and outlines important challenges that need to be tackled in order to reap the full benefits of the technology. The report is dealing with co-existence, adventitious presence of GMOs in seeds, and with the complexity of the approval system that are particularly important to highlight in the context of the further development and fruitful application of agricultural biotechnology.