22 Amendments of Josu ORTUONDO LARREA related to 2006/2059(INI)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the development and use of agricultural biotechnology, with the exception of genetically modified organisms, offers an opportunity to develop both economically and environmentally sustainable farming and food production,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas developments in biotechnologies might have the potential to yield many benefits for agriculture, such as increased yields, better product quality, reduced use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and fossil fuels and reduced soil erosion and pollutionwhereas it is advisable to weigh the value of such potential benefits against the possibility of reduced genetic diversity associated with GM monoculture cropping and damage to biodiversity,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the mid-term review shows that some progress has been made towards achieving the goals set out in “Life Sciences and Biotechnology — A strategy for Europe”,
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Community legislation is sometimes interpreted differently by Member States and its implementation is therefore not always consistent across all Member States; whereas there is a clear need to develop a common approach, particularly with regard to the possibility of the coexistence of genetically modified crops and conventional and organic crops which would provide the basis for choice for both farmers and consumers,
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the provision of choice for farmers and consumers must include the option of avoiding GM-contaminated crops as well as the option of growing genetically modified crops,
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the use of new technologies, for example in new crops for medicinal or other non-food purposes, should offers new production opportunities, particularly in sectors where conventional production has ceased to be economically profitable; whereas these opportunities should, however, be subject to particularly rigorous standards and strict control systems,
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas genetically modified products for use in agriculture necessarily have to pass very stringent assessments and the present authorisation process is slow and bureaucraticshould pass stringent assessments, whereas the existing legal requirements need to be better implemented, especially as regards assessment of the long-term effects of genetically modified organisms on health and the environment,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas genetically modified crops represent only 2.6% of crops grown on agricultural land in the world, of which 50% is grown in one country alone - the US - and 70% is grown in three countries alone – the US, Argentina and Brazil, whereas the surface area under cultivation in the EU decreased between 2007 and 2008,
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the need to work towards ensuring that, in the near future, an increased variety of better and healthier food and feedstuffs could also be produced in less favoured areas, such as in restricted climate conditions, in dry or moist conditions and on harsh soil, and notes that the correct use of biotechnology could be an important factor in these developmentsone factor in these developments; emphasises also that increasing the diversity of crops and varieties in a single field can also provide the necessary diversity and resilience to cope with rapid changes in weather conditions (e.g. droughts, floods, storms and heatwaves);
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Recognises the limited amount of biomass that can be sustainably produced; emphasises that biomass with the lowest possible level of greenhouse gas emissions should be used locally;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that socio-economic factors should also be considered as part of the approval process;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the Commission's recent2006 report on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming and urges better harmonisation of rules and conditions within the EU; emphasises the importance of the right of farmers to choose between traditional, organic and genetically modified organism production and, therefore, the need to establish clear, uniform and transparent coexistence measures that enable farmers to coexist with neighbours using different farming methods without compromising the right of non-GM farmers to farm without GM contamination;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Asks for clarificationStresses the importance of establishing strict standards concerning liability for damages incurred in the growing and using of biotechnological products with regard to: who is liable, what can be claimed and under what circumstances a claim can be made;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission and Member States to promote research and development in the field of biotechnology and modern sustainable agriculture practices, other crop methods and agricultural product quality by increasing funds for work and further enhancing cooperation and coordination between public sector research and companies at European, national and regional level;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that the existence of independent publicly funded research for all agricultural models on an equal basis must be guaranteed and R&D activity in small biotechnology undertakings and plant-technology centres must be supported in order to maintain maximum competitiveness at the various levels of the food production chain;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Also suspectStresses that thesre may be contributing tois a strong concentration of research, inventions and intellectual property rights among a few large global players, thus causing their influence and power to increase to the detriment of smaller companies, and causing countries and people to become more dependent on them;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Observes the need to enhance and broaden public debate and improve the level of scientific knowledge; considers that it is the responsibility of policy- makers, as well as industry, the scientific community and non-governmental organisations to communicate with citizens in a clear and transparent manner on the benefits and risks of biotechnologies; recommends that the Commission's policies reflect public opinion on genetically modified organisms;