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Parliament has come out against a people?s initiative calling for a
five-year moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops in Switzerland, June
2005.

The House of Representatives narrowly rejected the move, following the
line taken by the Senate earlier this year. The initiative will now go to
popular vote.

Engineered by a coalition of environmental groups, consumers and farmers,
the initiative calls for a five-year moratorium on the import or trading of
genetically modified plants or grain.

But on Tuesday the house voted by 91 votes to 88 against the initiative.
Opponents, mainly from the centre-right parties, described the moratorium as
unnecessary and detrimental to Switzerland?s interests.

They said that the law on genetics that came into effect in January last
year already adequately protected humans, animals and the environment
against abuses.

Others were concerned that the initiative could damage trade relations with
other countries and harm Switzerland?s standing as a place of scientific
development, even if research was not directly targeted by the moratorium.

"The growth possibilities of future technologies would be affected," said
Brigitta Gadient.

Christine Egerszegi warned that scientists could be tempted to work abroad
if the future of GM crops remained uncertain in Switzerland.

Denial

However, the initiative?s supporters, mainly made up of centre-left Social
Democrats and the Green party, denied the moratorium would have an impact on
research.

Among their main concerns were that GM crops could contaminate non-GM crops
in neighbouring fields through pollen dispersal.

Andrea Hämmerle, also an organic farmer, said that in a country as small as
Switzerland cross-pollination would be hard to avoid.

Supporters added that there was still widespread consumer resistance to GM
products.

These arguments were backed up by some members of the rightwing Swiss People
?s Party, who were representing farmers? interests.

However, despite their stance on the initiative, the house also dismissed an
indirect counter-proposal, aimed at showing how GM and non-GM crops could
co-exist.

Reaction

Reacting to the result of the vote, the coalition in support of the
initiative said they regretted the house?s decision.

But they said they remained optimistic that their proposal would be approved
by the population.

Both the government and Senate have already rejected the initiative. In
March the Senate voted decisively against it by 32 votes to seven.

The initiative will now be put to popular vote, which should take place no
later than mid-January 2007.

[www.swissinfo.org]

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