Parliament urges greater support for biotechnology
Scottish MEP John Purvis will present an own initiative report for the Industry committee calling for greater support for biotechnology and urging the involvement of developing countries in the establishment of EU research priorities to the European Parliament on 15 March. The committee calls on the Commission and the Member States to support research into biotechnological applications offering clear social or environmental benefits such as the development of genetically modified micro-organisms for use in water purification, soil restoration, replacing dangerous chemicals currently in use and developing sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources, including biogas, hydrogen and ethanol. Biotech applications can help to reduce agricultural, environmental and health problems in developing countries, argues the committee, and these countries should therefore be encouraged to develop their own biotech industries. The draft resolution also supports the principle of involving developing countries in the establishment of priorities for relevant EU research programmes and trade debates. The committee is critical of national measures to block or delay authorisation of genetically modified (GM) products for reasons that it argues are not based on objective scientific opinion. The committee argues that the European Food Safety Authority should have overall responsibility for the approval of GM products. At the same time, the committee calls for obligatory mugagenicity, carcinogenicity and toxicity tests to be carried out on transgenic foods before they are placed on the market.