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European Parliament Wants Gene-Corn Banned

Hi - Good news that shows we _can_ make a difference on this issue.  Keep
on keeping on!!  P. Dines

-- FORWARD ___
From: Mark Graffis, INTERNET:ab758@virgin.usvi.net
Sender: o-imap@CHUMBLY.MATH.MISSOURI.EDU
To: Patricia Dines, 73652,1202
Date: Wed, Apr 9, 1997, 4:34 PM
Subject: European Parliament Wants Gene-Corn Banned


      Copyright &copy 1997 The Associated Press

   STRASBOURG, France (April 8, 1997 1:31 p.m. EDT) -- The European
   Parliament overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to recommend an end to the
   sale of genetically-altered corn in the 15-nation European Union.

   By a vote of 407-2, parliament called on the European Commission to
   suspend its authorization for imports of the grain, which was granted
   last December to Ciba-Geigy, which has since merged with Sandoz to
   form a new company called Novartis.

   The European Commission, the EU's executive agency, is not bound by
   the parliament's resolution to change its policy.

   Farmers, environmentalists and consumer groups have protested the
   imports, which largely come from the United States, contending the
   corn hasn't been adequately proven safe.

   Parliament's push to end the corn sales comes as trade officials from
   Europe and the United States prepare to meet in Washington next week
   to discuss EU regulations for genetically-altered food products.

   Austria and Luxembourg already have banned the corn imports, saying
   the herbicides and antibiotic-resistant chemicals used in its
   production have not been sufficiently tested.

   France banned the cultivation of genetically-modified corn last
   February, but is permitting the imports that carry special labeling.