Mass exodus of Europe's biotech companies from GM crops

[Alberto Machado]

mass exodus of Europe's biotech companies from GM crops
*Pro-Agro shows the gate to its research staff
[For a copy of the full report
http://www.jrc.es/gmoreview.pdf]
GM Crops: Industry 0 - Protesters 1
Severin Carrell reports on the mass exodus of Europe's biotech companies
from genetically modified crops
The Independent on Sunday, 23 March 2003
Europe's biotech firms have cancelled millions of pounds worth of 
research
into genetically modified crops, sending the industry into a steep
slump, a
new study has found.
The European Commission has admitted that nearly two thirds of the EU's
biotech companies have cancelled GM research projects over the past four
years, mainly because of the controversy over the safety and labelling
of GM
crops, and continuing consumer resistance.
The Commission also found that the number of GM field trial applications
fell by 76 per cent last year, from the 250 submitted in 1998 to a level 
not
seen since 1992. By comparison, US field trial bids have remained 
relatively
stable at about 1,000 a year.
The Commission's gloom deepened after an opinion poll of 16,500 people
showed deep-rooted disquiet about GM crops. Although 44 per cent of
Europeans believed medical biotechnology would improve their lives, only 
36
per cent supported GM foods.
Philippe Busquin, the European Research Commissioner, complained that
"unjustified fears and prejudice" were severely damaging the EU's 
economic
prospects.
"The increasingly sceptical climate is scaring European biotech companies
and research centres away," he claimed. "If we do not reverse the trend 
now,
we will be dependent on technologies developed elsewhere."
In a bid to counter this problem, he is ploughing another 2.25bn 
(?1.52bn)
into life sciences research.
The survey also underlined the public sector's increasingly leading role 
in
biotech RD in Europe. Only 22 per cent of research institutes and 25 
per
cent of university institutes abandoned GM projects, compared to 68 per 
cent
of the big biotech firms.
Anti-GM groups said Mr Busquin appeared to have ignored evidence that
investors were nervous about the viability of biotech companies. One 
study
by the London-based Institute for Science in Society said share values in
leading US biotech firms dropped 43 per cent last year.
Sue Mayer, of campaign group Genewatch, said the sector had failed to
justify claims it could quickly produce GM crops with improved 
nutritional
or health properties, and had suppressed damaging results from 
trials.

Re: Mass exodus of Europe's biotech companies from GM crops

[Peter Michael Bacchus]

Sounds like a bit of good sense is getting through 
at last. Those who miss out will not need to catch up, they will just have less 
mess to clean afterwards.
Peter.

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  Alberto 
  Machado 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 12:30 
  AM
  Subject: Mass exodus of Europe's biotech 
  companies from GM crops
  
  
  mass exodus of Europe's biotech companies from GM crops
  *Pro-Agro shows the gate to its research staff
  [For a copy of the full report
  http://www.jrc.es/gmoreview.pdf]
  GM Crops: Industry 0 - Protesters 1
  Severin Carrell reports on the mass exodus of Europe's biotech 
companies
  from genetically modified crops
  The Independent on Sunday, 23 March 2003
  Europe's biotech firms have cancelled millions of pounds worth of 
  research
  into genetically modified crops, sending the industry into a steep
  slump, a
  new study has found.
  The European Commission has admitted that nearly two thirds of the EU's
  biotech companies have cancelled GM research projects over the past 
four
  years, mainly because of the controversy over the safety and labelling
  of GM
  crops, and continuing consumer resistance.
  The Commission also found that the number of GM field trial 
applications
  fell by 76 per cent last year, from the 250 submitted in 1998 to a level 
  not
  seen since 1992. By comparison, US field trial bids have remained 
  relatively
  stable at about 1,000 a year.
  The Commission's gloom deepened after an opinion poll of 16,500 people
  showed deep-rooted disquiet about GM crops. Although 44 per cent of
  Europeans believed medical biotechnology would improve their lives, only 
  36
  per cent supported GM foods.
  Philippe Busquin, the European Research Commissioner, complained that
  "unjustified fears and prejudice" were severely damaging the EU's 
  economic
  prospects.
  "The increasingly sceptical climate is scaring European biotech 
  companies
  and research centres away," he claimed. "If we do not reverse the trend 
  now,
  we will be dependent on technologies developed elsewhere."
  In a bid to counter this problem, he is ploughing another 2.25bn 
  (?1.52bn)
  into life sciences research.
  The survey also underlined the public sector's increasingly leading role 
  in
  biotech RD in Europe. Only 22 per cent of research institutes and 25 
  per
  cent of university institutes abandoned GM projects, compared to 68 per 
  cent
  of the big biotech firms.
  Anti-GM groups said Mr Busquin appeared to have ignored evidence that
  investors were nervous about the viability of biotech companies. One 
  study
  by the London-based Institute for Science in Society said share values 
  in
  leading US biotech firms dropped 43 per cent last year.
  Sue Mayer, of campaign group Genewatch, said the sector had failed to
  justify claims it could quickly produce GM crops with improved 
  nutritional
  or health properties, and had suppressed damaging results from 
  trials.