WRITTEN QUESTION E-2883/98

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(28 September 1998)

Subject: Georgia/Monsanto Bt potatoes

A report from Greenpeace/Elkana dated August 1998 details the cultivation in Georgia of Monsanto's genetically engineered "Naturemark" potatoes without any proper authorisation procedures, environmental risk assessment or resistance management plans and with no apparent control over the test sites or the disposal of the harvests. It is reported that the purchase of the seed stock was funded by the EU in the sum of $350 000 from the TACIS Programme.

1. Will the Commission confirm this information?

2. If true, was the Commission aware that the seed potatoes were genetically engineered?

3. If TACIS or other EU funds were used, what checks were carried out to evaluate the programme and what advice did the Commission give to the Georgian government about the deliberate release of GMOs?

4. Did the Georgian Government give their informed consent?

5. How did the Commission monitor the use of EU funds in this project?

6. Will the Commission now require Monsanto and its agents to recall the transgenic potatoes circulating in Georgia and neighbouring states and to compensate the farmers concerned for any losses they have made?

7. Will the Commission confirm that no potatoes or potato products from the Georgian harvests have entered the EU?

8. Will the Commission confirm what position it takes in the current negotiations on the proposed Biosafety Protocol on such unregulated releases?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 1998)

In late 1996 or early 1997, a quantity of seed potatoes were purchased by the Georgian ministry of food and agriculture from the company Monsanto. The Ministry made this purchase since there was a great need for such seed potatoes at that time. These potatoes were beetle resistant and were used in the region of Tsalka, Southern Georgia, on a pilot study basis.

The Tacis rural agriculture reform project was under way in Georgia at that time. This was a rural credit project and one of its main achievements was the contribution, with other donors, of technical assistance and funds towards the establishment of a counterpart fund (CPF) as part of the food aid programme for Georgia. A counterpart fund evaluation board was established to consider requests for CPF assistance and, where appropriate, to approve disbursements from the CPF. It appears that the purchase of the Monsanto seed potatoes was made using part of this CPF following the approval of the CPF evaluation board.

The decision to purchase these seed potatoes was entirely that of the Georgian authorities, specifically, the ministry of food and agriculture and the Georgian institute of biotechnology. The Georgian farmers union also approved the purchase of these potatoes.

In relation to the specific questions, the Commission can answer as follows:

1. The above paragraphs answer this point.

2. No.

3. The request was evaluated and approved by the CPF evaluation board. No advice was given by the Commission to the Georgian government.

4. Yes, through the ministry of food and agriculture.

5. The use of Community and other donor funds was monitored by the CPF evaluation board.

6. No.

7. According to the Community phytosanitary legislation (Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December 1976 on protective measures against the introduction into the Member States of harmful organisms of plants or plant products(1), Annex III, points 10, 11 and 12) Member States are not permitted to import potatoes from Georgia. Also, the placing on the market of the potato or products thereof as foods and food ingredients would fall under the scope of Commission Regulation (EC) 258/98 of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients(2). In the absence of an authorisation or, if appropriate, a notification under this Regulation, their placing on the market as foods or food ingredients is not authorised in the Community.

8. The Commission's position in the current negotiations on the biosafety protocol, which are still to be concluded, is that an import into a country of, for example, a biogenetically treated (BT) potato, should take place only with the consent of the country in question and after the country has had the possibility to conduct a proper risk assessment.

(1) OJ L 26, 31.1.1977.

(2) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997.