www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

The Polish parliament's proposed ban on the sale and registration, but
apparently not planting, of biotech seeds, will likely violate EU
regulations, according to a USDA foreign agricultural service GAIN report,
May 2006 by Anthony Fletcher.

But despite a similar warning from the European Integration Committee
Office - an independent office within the Polish government - the bill,
which was sent to the Senate for consideration after the ban was first
proposed in the lower house, is likely to be passed. This is no ordinary
piece of legislation. According to the GAIN report, it features a number of
changes made to a draft bill that was originally submitted by the Ministry
of Agriculture.

The ministry's proposals would have brought Polish regulations into
compliance with EU biotech regulations. Ironically, the changes mean that
the new legislation will likely be in conflict with global trade rules.

A landmark WTO decision in February ruled that the EU and six member states
broke trade rules by barring entry to GM crops and foods.

By agreeing with the United States, Argentina and Canada that an effective
moratorium on GM imports between June 1999 and August 2003 had been put in
place, the ruling effectively opened up the European market to GM food.

According to the GAIN report, Poland's leading politicians have been divided
over the bill. Prior to the Senate vote, nine senators, under secretary of
agriculture Chrapek, who holds the biotech portfolio at the ministry of
agriculture, participated in heated discussions.

Undersecretary Chrapek, senate agriculture committee chairman Chroscikowski
and one other senator supported the ban. The remaining senators however were
opposed, arguing that biotech products were not less safe than traditional
or organic products, an opinion voiced by the biotech industry.

In addition, they argued that the ban would be a step back for Polish
scientific research, and that this piece of legislation was clearly politics
over science.

The opinion of the Senate's legal office that the legislation would violate
EU regulations raised some concerns, but not enough to prevent Senate
approval. Due to some minor changes to other parts of the legislation, the
draft was returned to the lower house for final approval.

A public appeal to defeat the ban by several leading Polish scientists, was
not enough to prevent final passage. The bill now goes to the President for
signature.

This will be the fifth time the Polish government has implemented
legislation that violates EU regulations. Polish farmers are currently not
planting biotech seeds, primarily, says the USDA, because of government
opposition to biotechnology and the lack of economically advantageous
varieties.

The USDA adds that while the new legislation will not ban planting biotech
varieties, it could dissuade farmers from doing so.

However, the agency argues that many local farmers would use biotech seeds
if economically advantageous varieties were available. Several Bt corn
varieties of potential interest to Polish farmers have recently become
available.

[www.checkbiotech.org]

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