Romania: Ban of Monsanto maize

Greenpeace welcomes the Romanian government's landmark decision to ban genetically engineered maize, which was announced this week. This move is particularly significant as GE maize is the only commercially cultivated GE crop permitted in Europe.

Mr Attila Korodi's, the Minister of Environment and Durable Development in Romania, announcement the banning Monsanto's GE maize MON 810. This makes Europe's largest per hectare maize producer GE-free. Romania is the European Union's top maize producer in terms of hectares with about 3 million hectares cultivated annually. Some 300 hectares of MON 810 have been cultivated in Romania since 2007, representing 0.01 % of Romania's total maize production. Romania is the seventh of Europe's leading maize producers to ban the growing of GE varieties, following France, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Greece and Poland.

Geert Ritsema, the GE campaign coordinator of Greenpeace, said Romania's GE ban marked a seismic change. It sent a critical message that this dangerous technology would not be tolerated. It was vital the European Commission protected all of Europe's farmers, consumers and environment by introducing an EU-wide ban against GE cultivation.

Concerns over safety prompted the Romanian government to take action. Scientific studies show that MON 810 maize is harmful to wildlife, soil and human health. The Romanian people overwhelmingly rejected this unsafe, unnecessary and unsustainable technology. It was vital the ban was implemented as soon as possible, so natural crops could be safe from GE contamination before the sowing season started, said Gabriel Paun, GE Campaign Coordinator Greenpeace Romania.

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