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CO-EXISTENCE MORE POLITICS THAN SCIENCE

CO-EXISTENCE MORE POLITICS THAN SCIENCE. Jaroslav Drobník Faculty of Science, Charles University Association BIOTRIN Pra ha , Czech Republic. What is CO-EXISTENCE. „ Let there be no mistake: Co-existence is about economic and legal questions, not about risks or food safety .“

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CO-EXISTENCE MORE POLITICS THAN SCIENCE

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  1. CO-EXISTENCEMORE POLITICS THAN SCIENCE Jaroslav Drobník Faculty of Science, Charles University Association BIOTRIN Praha, Czech Republic

  2. What is CO-EXISTENCE „Let there be no mistake: Co-existence is about economic and legal questions, not about risks or food safety.“ Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries 5 March 2003

  3. CO-EXISTENCE – product of Recent EU biosafety legislation • Based on political situation of late eighties • Designed in analogy to dangerous chemicals • Political paradigm contradictory to science: • risk follows from breeding method not from traits; • only breeding based on recombinant DNA generates risk to biosafety; all others are safe and need no regulation. • Political target: to introduce fear in citizens and by applying labelling to generate antiimport barrier. • Political tool: labelling covering even products without traces of material from GMO (eg. ethanol from GM potato).

  4. What are facts: • Radiation mutants are potentially more risky Batista R., et al. PNAS 105 (9) 3640-3645 R-mutant rice after >10 generations showed 51 GM-rice after 3 generation showed only 25alterations in gene expression. This means that R-mutant contains twice as much of altered proteins that can be, e.g. allergenes. However European politicians say to public – they are safe!

  5. Driving force of CO-EXISTENCE • Coexistence is a temporary issue based on GMO-psychosisin Europe (David Byrne). • It is comparable to "cloning psychosis" (products of cloned animals should be labelled) or • "radiation psychosis" (irradiated food products should be labelled). • Most important: • “GM-free” label is good business. • http://www.coextra.eu/

  6. Populism – ground of CO-EXISTENCE • WHAT EUROPEANS BELIEVE (%)

  7. “GM-free” product is good business • The claim of organic farmers „our products are GMO-free“have no basis in • health crtiteria – they do not avoid R-mutants, they use whole culture of Bac. thuringiensis • ecology criteria – they use copper containing fungicides, Bt crops eliminate insecticides • „unnatural“ origin – they use triticale, R-mutants, gene transfer occurs in nature This claim is just advertising slogan to get the market of those 54% misinformed and frightened Europeans ready to pay for their superstition

  8. CO-EXISTENCE –equal opportunity? Ban, liability Ban, no liability No problem Compulsory Preventive measures Standard Organic GMO

  9. CO-EXISTENCE – restraint of GMO • Health damaging (pesticides) contamination of BIO must be prevented on account of organic farmer. • Business damaging of BIO contamination must be prevented on account of farmer using GMO. • Farmer using GMO must announce this including the location to prevent business damage. • Farmer using toxic chemical has no such duty. • Co-existence sets liability for contamination neighbours by GMO. No liability exits for contamination by pests, diseases and chemicals.

  10. CO-EXISTENCE – simple tool to ban GMO • The decision to let Member State formulate their own co-existence rules is rational, however opens the opportunity to legally ban GMO. • The prime minister of one MS said about GMO: "According to EU law we cannot forbid it, but we can make it as difficult as possible, setting additional requirements, such as obtaining permission by neighbours."

  11. CO-EXISTENCE - gate to fakeshttp://www.gmo-safety.eu/en/news/625.docu.html • The state of Brandenburg proposed Bt cornseparation distances of 1000 metres from nature reserves. Why? • about10 grains of pollen/cm2 at a distance of 120 metres • the diamond-back moth and the cabbage white and peacock butterfly were susceptible to pollen from Bt176 maize • However, the variety approved for cultivation Bt810 produces significantly less Bt toxin in the pollen than Bt176. • The diamond-back moth (the most sensitive species) showed no indication of harm when fed with pollen from the MON810 strain, even at rates of 80 grains of pollen per caterpillar

  12. Co-Extra - EU research programme on co-existence and traceability • Our goal is to support their implementation and to foster a science-based debate among stakeholders. • http://www.coextra.eu/ • Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)Phytopathologie et méthodologies de la détectionVersailles cedexFrance

  13. Let the science-based debate among stakeholders start soon before Europe becomes an outdoor museum of last-century agriculture Thank you for your attention

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