BIOTECHNOLOGY: CONTRASTING REACTIONS TO AUTHORISATION FOR BT11 TRANSGENIC MAIZE

摘要

Initial responses to the European Commission's decision on May 19 to authorise the marketing of Bt 11 transgenic sweet corn developed by the Swiss Syngenta group have been very reserved or pointedly negative, notably from European ecolo-gists who havelaunched a campaign to convince the EU executive to reverse its decision. Martin Hirsch, Director of France's food safety agency AFSSA, has criticised those Member States that have failed to face up to their responsibilities and has called for a European referendum on the issue of GMOs which he insists requires "a clear democratic framework". The European agri-food industry has been alone in discretely applauding a new breakthrough for GMOs after a long five-year hiatus.