Roma, Italy
December 12, 2008
USDA/FAS GAIN report IT 8039
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200812/146306725.pdf
Report highlights:
Italy’s has approved the
resumption of biotech field trials after a hiatus of 10
years. Protocols for nine crops were approved but leave
implementing regulations up to the regions—many of which
have declared themselves to be GMO free. While the approval
of these protocols may be a positive step, most Italian
scientists remain skeptical about their actual significance.
In their view, too many constraints exist to make field
tests practical. In fact, many research centers have
abandoned agricultural biotechnology research because there
is little likelihood
that any farm in Italy will be able to benefit from such
research any time soon.
“A glimmer opens, after ten years
of darkness, for field trials of biotech crops.” This is how a
leading farm weekly magazine, “Agrisole” starts its press
release, announcing the approval of the biotech field test
protocols by the State-Regions Conference—a special body of
representatives from the federal government and each of the 20
Italian regions that addresses issues of mutual interest. The
path to this approval has not been easy. For a number of years,
both public and private institutions have not been allowed to
conduct research on biotech crops in Italy. By law, approval
must first come from a special committee of ten members,
comprised of two representatives from the Ministry of
Agriculture, two from the Ministry of Environment, and six from
the regions, followed by approval of the State-regions
Conference.
In 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture passed a Ministerial
decree, endorsed by the special committee, approving protocols
to re-start biotech field trials, which had been stopped for a
number of years. But the decree was opposed by the Minister of
Environment, Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, who also was the leader of
Italy’s Green party. Last August, the new Minister of
Environment, Stefania Prestigiacomo, endorsed the above
protocols, which were
then approved by the State-Regions Conference. The Ministerial
decree is now waiting for the final signature from Minister of
Agriculture Zaia, after which it will be published in the
Official Gazette. Although Zaia has publicly maintained a strong
opposition to agricultural biotechnology, most observers expect
him to sign the decree.
Nine protocols were approved; one each for kiwis, citrus, sweet
cherries, strawberries, corn, egg plants, olives, tomatoes, and
grapes. The decree leaves it up to each region to develop
implementing regulations, including the authority to adopt even
more restrictive measures than the original protocols in order
“to reduce the risk of contamination.” Although most Italian
regions have declared themselves to be “GM-free,” some regions
appear open to the biotech trials, including Lombardy, Veneto,
and Emilia-Romagna—all located in northern Italy.
The nine protocols all include stringent measures to prevent any
“contamination” to conventional agriculture. Examples of these
measures include the required use of anti-birds nets over GM
kiwi-trees, a minimum distance of 1,000 meters between biotech
and conventional corn fields, hand harvesting of biotech corn,
and, in some cases, sterilization of the soil and incineration
of the residues. Furthermore the trial fields must remain idle
for up to three years following the trials.
While the approval of these protocols may be seen by many
pro-biotech observers as a positive step, most Italian
scientists remain skeptical about the actual significance of
this decree. In their view, too many constraints exist to make
field tests practical. In fact, many research centers have
abandoned agricultural biotechnology research because there is
little likelihood that any farm in Italy will be able to benefit
from such research any time soon. On the other side,
environmental groups have protested against the approval of the
protocols, reiterating their concerns about the possible
contamination. |
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