18 Amendments of João FERREIRA related to 2010/0208(COD)
Amendment 12 #
The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.
Amendment 13 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed16 establish, in accordance with the precautionary principle, a comprehensive legal framework for the authorisation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which is fully applicable to GMOs to be used for cultivation purposes throughout the EU as seeds or other plant-propagating material (hereinafter ‘GMOs for cultivation’).
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Under this set of legislation, GMOs for cultivation shall undergo an individual risk assessment before being authorised to be placed on the Union market. The aim of this authorisation procedure is to ensure a high level of protection of human life and health, animal health and welfare, the environment and consumer interests, whilst ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market and to address citizens’ ethical and societal considerations.
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) There is a need for the precautionary principle to be taken into account in the framework of this Regulation and when implementing it.
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) OnceEven if a GMO is authorised for cultivation purposes in accordance with the EU legislative framework on GMOs and complies, as regards the variety that is to be placed on the market, with the requirements of EU legislation on the marketing of seed and plant propagating material, Member States are not authorisedshould have the possibility to prohibit, restrict, or impede its free circulation within their territory, except under the conditions defined by EU legislation.
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) In this context, it appears appropriate to grant to Member States, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, more freedom to decide whether or not they wish to cultivate GMO crops on their territory without changing the system of Union authorisations of GMOs and independently of the measures that Member States are entitlrequired to take by application of Article 26a of Directive 2001/18/EC within and across borders to avoid the unintended presence of GMOs in other products.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) Cultivation is closely linked to the use of land and the protection of flora and fauna, for which Member States retain important competencies; taking into account that national territories are characterised by an ample diversity of ecosystems and that any impacts on ecosystems may also have health implications, Member States should be given the right to restrict or ban GM cultivation on their territory on grounds related to environmental or health impacts or other legitimate factors which are complementary to those examined during the risk assessment process conducted under Part C of Directive 2001/18/EC or which have not been addressed or have not been sufficiently dealt with as part of that assessment.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) On the basis of the subsidiarity principle, the purpose of this Regulation is not to harmonize the conditions of cultivation in Member States but to grant freedom to Member States to invoke orestrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs on their grounds than scientific assessment of health and environmental risks to ban cultivation of GMOs on their territoryterritory on grounds relating to environmental or health impacts or other legitimate factors which might arise from the deliberate release of GMOs, and which are complementary to those examined during the risk assessment process conducted under Part C of this Directive or which have not been addressed or have not been sufficiently dealt with as part of that assessment. In addition one of the purposes of Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations which is to allow the Commission to consider the adoption of binding acts at EU level would not be served by the systematic notification of Member States’ measures under that Directive. Moreover, since measures which Member States can adopt under this Regulation cannot have as a subject the placing of the market of GMOs and thus does not modify the conditions of placing on the market of GMOs authorised under the existing legislation, the notification procedure under Directive 98/34/EC does not appear the most appropriate information channel for the Commission. Therefore, by derogation, Directive 98/34/EC should not be applicable. A simpler notification system of the national measures prior to their adoption appears to be a more proportionate tool for the Commission to be aware of these measures. Measures which Member States intend to adopt should thus be communicated together with their reasons to the Commission and to the other Member States one month prior to their adoption for information purposes.
Amendment 47 #
Council position
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) Given that the companies which produce GMO are the same ones which produce drugs and pesticides, public authorities need to take into account independent and impartial studies in the field;
Amendment 50 #
Council position
Recital 2 b (new)
Recital 2 b (new)
(2b) There are added health risks attached to the use of technologies which have been neither tested nor approved by competent and impartial authorities There is a need to ensure that impartial and independent studies are carried out in this field, by strengthening investment in research in order to increase scientific knowledge about these genetically modified products and the consequences of using them; the results of such studies should be published and debate on the matter encouraged.
Amendment 53 #
Council position
Recital 2 c (new)
Recital 2 c (new)
(2c) The fact that GMO crops rely on expensive technologies both to obtain and grow them, together with the fact that the seeds are patented, makes these crops into a multi-million dollar business which has little or nothing to do with food subsistence or preservation of biodiversity;
Amendment 54 #
Council position
Recital 2 d (new)
Recital 2 d (new)
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point -1 (new)
Article 1 – point -1 (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 a – paragraph 1
Article 26 a – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC shall be amended as follows: (-1) Article 26a(1) shall be replaced by the following: ‘1. Member States shall take appropriate measures to avoid the unintended presence of GMOs in other products within and across national borders.’
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 26 b – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) those measures are based on grounds other than those related to the assessment of the adverse effect on health and environment which mightrelated to environmental or health impacts which might arise from the deliberate release of GMOs, or on other legitimate factors. National measures may be based, inter alia, on the following grounds: - the prevention of the development of pesticide resistance amongst weeds and pests due to the deliberate release of GMOs; - the protection of farmers against increased dependence from companies holding patents on GM seeds and corresponding herbicides; - the prevention of changes in agrise from the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOscultural practices, caused by the deliberate release of GMOs, resulting in negative impacts on the environment, health or existing farming practices that are ecologically more sustainable;
Amendment 110 #
Council position
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) Bearing in mind that the most recent study addressing and analysing the impact on human health and safety of using these products dates from 2001 and that the latest studies of their socioeconomic impact and effects on animal health date from 2011/2012, further studies of the impact of these products on human and animal health should be encouraged and supported;
Amendment 229 #
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) Protection of small and medium- scale farmers who do not use patented seeds;
Amendment 230 #
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g b (new)
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g b (new)
(gb) Protection and safeguarding of the rights which assist producers of traditional crops in keeping their crops free of contamination and consumers in choosing between GMO and non-GMO crops;
Amendment 232 #
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g c (new)
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g c (new)
(gc) Recognition of the right of Member States to establish themselves as GMO- free areas, in order to preserve their products and traditional and organic farming method;