Brussels, 11/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted by 423 votes with 25 against and 27 abstentions, a report by Danielle Auroi (French Green/EFA) which updates and strengthens a proposal on conventional seeds by introducing provisions to prevent risk of contamination of these products by GMOs. Parliament is setting a minimal threshold below that for conventional sees contaminated by "accidental or technically unavoidable" traces of GMOs, which can, nevertheless be put on the market. The value of the threshold will be set at the "lowest level possible established by the most recent scientific knowledge". It will be necessary t, according to parliamentarians, to put into place "clear and achievable traceablity" so that accidental GMO traces are detected.
The Commission proposal from last January, essentially aims to "clean up" the ten directives on comparative trials before commercialisation of conventional seed varieties. Parliament is also revising the annual budget for comparative trials from EUR 800,000 to EUR 1 million so that the tests can be carried out for seeds in organic farming.