Brussels, 17/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 March in Brussels, the EP agriculture committee decided to postpone the vote on the own-initiative report on “biotechnology: prospects and challenges for agriculture in Europe”, probably until the new legislature. The rapporteur for this dossier, Kyösti Virrankoski (ALDE, Finland), requested postponement given the very large number of amendments submitted. The other EP political groups agreed, underlining how difficult it is to negotiate a compromise on such a subject during electoral periods. The decision to adjourn was taken by consensus without a vote.
The draft report by Mr Virrankoski stipulated that biotechnologies facilitate the development of sustainable production methods, give greater output and better quality and diversity of products with reduced consumption of fertiliser and rational water consumption. In addition to traditional farm products (foodstuffs, animal feed and fibre), entirely new products will emerge, the text reads. It also points out that, in 2007, 114 million hectares of genetically modified crops were grown in the world and that this surface area is likely to be substantially increased over coming years while the surface area of genetically modified crops in the EU is relatively low. (L.C./transl.jl)