GREECE DEFIES THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION; HARDENS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000293

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016
TAGS: ECON TBIO EAGR GR BIOTECH
SUBJECT: GREECE DEFIES THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION; HARDENS
STANCE AGAINST GMOS



1. (C) Summary. On January 30th, Greece's Deputy Agriculture
Minister Alexandros Kondos signed a ministerial decision to
continue and expand the ban on 17 strains of the MON810 seed
corn family to 31 strains. Kondos' decision continues
Greece's lone defiance as a member of the EU on biotech
product and directly contradicts the EU Commission's January
10th order for Greece to lift its ban on biotech corn seed.
While not out of step with the overall EU member opposition
to biotech varieties in Europe, Kondos' recent action is
emblematic of the particularly virulent strain of anti-GMO
activity and public opinion in Greece. End Summary.

Background: The Ongoing Battle
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2. (C) Over the past decade, the market for U.S. seed product
in Greece has lost over 55% of its market share from 18
million USD in 1995 to 8 million USD in 2005. The loss of
this market is a function of the efforts of broader EU
anti-GMO activity via NGOs and various EU representatives as
well as focused domestic agricultural protectionism by
members of Greek Parliament.


3. (C) The EU Commission's January 10th order for Greece to
lift its 2004 ban on the 17 varieties of MON810 type corn
seed represented a shot across the bow of Greek agriculture
policy, and as of yet, Greece has not altered its course. In
a largely symbolic response to this order, the GoG is now
expanding the ban to an additional 14 variants of MON810
seed, citing "scientific evidence (that) confirms that the
cultivation of maize poses an immediate environmental risk."
Post's contacts with the Ministry of Agriculture however,
were unaware of any such research or evidence regarding the
MON810 seed family.


Coexistence
--------------


4. (C) EU coexistence policy on biotech crops has proven to
be ambiguous and allows member countries to use its
implementation as an effective delaying tactic by instituting
a complex web of laws, regulations, and penalties for those
who chose to utilize biotech varieties. To this end, it is
widely believed that Greece will adopt Italy's methodology
for coexistence as they await further action from Brussels on
their continued resistance to MON810 corn seed. The current
tactic of expanding their unilateral ban to 31 varieties of
MON810 corn seed will help delay EU efforts to enforce its
ruling. In the meantime, the GoG will be looking at
implementing a biotech coexistence policy that simultaneously
appeases the EU while making it virtually impossible to
import or plant biotech products. In no case does it appear
that the GoG is interested in accommodating biotech product
in Greece.


Comment
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5. (C) While Greece's recent decision to expand its ban from
the original 17 MON810 varieties to 31 will most likely fall
in the face of EU pressure, the use of the decision as a
delaying tactic is almost certain to achieve its objective.
Once the tactic of the ban has been overcome however, the
challenge of testing GM seeds as well as actual planting in
accordance with EU coexistence policies will also provide the
GoG with ample opportunities to delay the penetration of
biotech varieties into the Greek agricultural market.



6. (C) Greece leads the EU in percentage of population
employed in the Agricultural sector (7%),and agricultural
issues play a significant role in the political arena. In
addition to the overall public perception of the dangers of
GM product in terms of long term bio-diversity, Greek NGOs,
including the Greenpeace chapter, continue to beat the drum
loudly and often on the dangers of GM product in the Greek
press, and their message is well received. Post has
requested funding to address the education issue on GM seed
product with the farmers and cooperatives in 2006. Post will
also host a Science Fellow in 2006 who intends to study the
effect that the extensive use of pesticides are having on the
groundwater supply in the Thessalian plain. This research
may help make a more affirmative case for biotech varieties
in order to reduce pesticide use in the future. End Comment
RIES