BIOTECHNOLOGY: GMOS MUST BE INCLUDED IN AARHUS CONVENTION, SAY ENVIRONMENTALISTS

摘要

Decision-making on genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) must be fully integrated into the UN's Aarhus Convention on access to environmental information, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) said on March 7. At their March 10 Environment Council meeting, the EU's Environment Ministers are due to decide the EU's position on amending the Aarhus Convention: this may be modified to include European citizens' rights to public participation in decision-making on genetic engineering matters. But the EEBsays the Commission will push against this; accusing it of "sacrificing environmental democracy for commercial and trade interests", the EEB urged the Ministers not to mandate the European Commission to represent the EU in these negotiations.