Brussels, 19/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The accidental presence of genetically modified rape seed batches from Canada, which meant that four Member States (France, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Germany) have unwittingly grown genetically modified colza for the past two years, was pointed out to the European Commission by the authorities of the countries concerned. The Commission spokesperson confirmed the matter on Friday and stated that the Member States were responsible for controlling the situation. "Although the degree of contamination is minimal (less than 1%), the Member States are going back up along the distribution line to ensure seeds and products concerned can be traced, as they are compelled to do under the Community legislation in force", she declared.
The Commission, for its part, will attempt to verify whether it is the same product in the four Member States and to determine whether the marketing of incriminated seeds is authorised in the Union. "If it is a question of unauthorised seeds, then the Member States which imported them is in breach of EU law", it added.
The seeds in question were produced in 1998 by the company Alberta Canada, imported by the United Kingdom (by the company Advanga Seeds UK) and sold in 1999 and 2000.