GENETIC ENGINEERING: GERMANY PRESENTS STRICT LAW ON TRANSGENIC CROPS

摘要

Germany presented its new draft law on transgenic crops to the EU's Agriculture Ministers during the Farm Council in Brussels on February 24. The law will require farmers cultivating GM crops to compensate producers of organic and traditional crops incases of contamination. Farmers will be required to give the Government two months'notice before sowing GM seeds. Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler indicated that the issue of insurance liability is not specific to agriculture and such a law is therefore necessary. The Commission is currently looking at the proposed legislation. Any Member State introducing laws on co-existence has to notify the Commission in the same way as any country introducing a new standard.