Luxembourg plans to oppose the European Commission’s proposals to authorise the cultivation of GMOs.
The European Commission intends to soon allow the cultivation of three types of genetically modified maize. These are Syngenta Bt11 corn, Pioneer / Dow AgroSciences 1507 and Monsanto's MON810. Whilst corn Bt11 and 1507 have never been grown in the European Union as opposed to MON810 whose authorisation is currently being renewed. A national safeguard clause prohibited the cultivation of MON810 on the territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
In October 2016, the European Parliament opposed the Commission's plan to authorise these three genetically modified organisms within the European Union by adopting non-binding resolutions.
The matter will be put to the vote of the Member States on 27 January 2017.
The European Commission's proposal allows the three genetically modified types of maize to be grown, but only in a restricted part of the European Union. On the basis of a 2015 European regulation, 19 Member States, including the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, or European regions had requested exemption from the permitted cultivation zone. Thus, the cultivation of the three GMOs in question will be prohibited in Luxembourg and its neighbouring regions even if the authorization is granted.
In addition to this legal guarantee, the Minister of Health, the Minister for Agriculture, Viticulture and Consumer Protection and the Minister for the Environment have taken the joint decision to remain faithful to the programme which indicates that "the government will continue to defend its critical position in relation to GMOs both in Luxembourg and at European and international levels".
Luxembourg will oppose the authorisation of the cultivation of these GMOs throughout the European Union and will vote against the three proposals of the European Commission.
