With the scandalous present situation, we have chosen to position ourselves and state the following demands:
"Following the decision of the European Court of Justice, pollen and honey containing pollen from MON 810 maize is not marketable for human consumption. In fact, Monsanto has "forgotten" to apply for approval for its use.
Beekeepers whose products are suspected of being contaminated by pollen from Monsanto GMOs cannot sell their crops. This latest catastrophe, which adds to the difficulties of high hive mortality for beekeepers (due largely to the use of pesticides) is not bearable. The European Commission which has granted approval for this GMO can no longer ignore it.
The European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) denounces the many negative outcomes of GMO cultivation and the indifference of Monsanto, who is responsible for this catastrophic situation of thousands of beekeepers throughout Europe, as well as in Latin America and in the other countries supplying the European market.
ECVC demands that Monsanto takes responsibility for it's products and compensates beekeepers for all the damages they have suffered: the value of lost crops, the loss of markets and the costs of analysis.
ECVC demands the immediate suspension of the authorization given for MON 810, whose culture was allowed despite an inadequate assessment. Indeed, no serious or comprehensive study of the impact of transgenic pollen on the bees which consume the corn's pollen, brood, winter bees, or bee products have been made.
ECVC demands the prohibition of the cultivation of genetically modified crops which produce nectar or pollen and so which could contaminate bee products in the short or long term. These contaminations will impose on beekeepers an increased analysis costs to prove the absence of GMOs or GMO labeling of honey and bee products. Such labeling would lead beekeepers and every farmer that needs bees to pollinate their crops to bankruptcy. Honey and pollen are and must remain a totally natural product.
ECVC asks the European Commission to take decisions that take into account the opinion of the European population, which in a very large majority rejects GMOs, and wants to continue to consume a healthy, natural honey.
Contacts: Jean Sabench (FR),00 33 6 73 91 23 78 / Heike Schiebeck (DE, EN, FR) +43 4238 8705 / Office ECVC (EN, ES, FR) 00 32 22 17 31 12"
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