"The Greek position has always been against the cultivation of GMOs, a position that I fully endorse," Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Yiannis Maniatis outlined yesterday in a letter addressed to Joro Riss, Director of the Greenpeace European Unit.

Maniatis’ letter came as a response to a letter by European head of Greenpeace mentionning that the Greek presidency proposal on GMOs was too close to the original Commission proposal and therefore bore many of its legal and political flaws.

In that regard, Maniatis noted that the"Greek proposal (…) is the only realistic basis for discussion (…) and as things stand today, the authorization procedure does not allow for Member States to opt out from the cultivation of GMOs. Any solution that will give Member States that legal right will be a politically significant step forward towards the directions of banning GMOs at a national level. Although the current proposal is not our ideally preferable option, it is still a significant improvement compared to the existing system." He also invited Greenpeace to add its suggestions to the proposal.

See also: Press Release of the Environment Council (3.03.14)