"That food made from biotech crops
is safe for human and animal consumption is not exactly news," says Willy De
Greef, Secretary General of EuropaBio. The 2001 study by the European Commission
covering 15 years experience with agricultural biotech products affirmed exactly
that, and so did the more recent reports by the WHO, the French and British
Academies of Medicine and other renowned institutes, "We hope that the European
policymakers who have insisted on verifying this fact again will now act in
accordance with the findings in the form of more timely and actual approvals of
biotech products".
The head of EuropaBio calls for
widespread communication from the EU to the general public about the JRC`s
findings, something that that was sorely lacking when the 2001 Commission study
was published.
"Now that we have once again
(re-)ascertained the safety of biotech foods, let`s give consumers the
opportunity to choose among a variety of safe foods produced with the help of
modern biotechnology. let`s get these products approved!" he
concluded.
Notes to
Editors:
(1) JRC Study: Scientific and
technical contribution to the development of an overall health strategy in the
area of GMOs; http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/downloads/jrc_20080910_gmo_study_en.pdf
For
further information about EuropaBio please contact:
Nathalie
Moll
Tel: +32 2 739
1185
Mobile: +32 473 88
4578
Email:
n.moll@europabio.org
ÂÂ
Rebecca
Weaver
Tel: +32 2
735 0313
Direct: +32
2 739 1184
Email: r.weaver@europabio.org
About
EuropaBio
EuropaBio
is the European Association for Bioindustries, solely and uniquely bringing
together bioscience companies from all fields of research and development,
testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products. It has 79
corporate members operating worldwide, 5 associate members, 6 BioRegions and 25
national biotechnology associations representing some 1800 small and medium
sized enterprises involved in research. Its mission is to promote an innovative
and dynamic biotechnology-based industry in Europe. http://www.europabio.org/
