Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VIENNA1042
2007-04-20 15:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
AUSTRIA TO VOTE "NO" ON BIOTECH SUGAR BEET AND
how-toVZCZCXRO2173 OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHVI #1042 1101505 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 201505Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7072 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS VIENNA 001042
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AGRICULTURE FOR FAS - ELIZABETH JONES
PASS USTR FOR D.VETTER
STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - SAINT-ANDRE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA TO VOTE "NO" ON BIOTECH SUGAR BEET AND
STACKED BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
REF: STATE 50150
UNCLAS VIENNA 001042
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AGRICULTURE FOR FAS - ELIZABETH JONES
PASS USTR FOR D.VETTER
STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - SAINT-ANDRE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA TO VOTE "NO" ON BIOTECH SUGAR BEET AND
STACKED BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
REF: STATE 50150
1. Ambassador and AgCouns presented reftel demarche in the
course of a general meeting with Austrian Agriculture
Minister Josef Proell on April 19. (Full report septel.)
2. Proell indicated that Austria would vote "no" at the EU
Standing Committee on the European Commission's proposal to
approve two biotech corn varieties and one biotech sugar beet
variety. He said the main reason for Austria's opposition is
the lack of EU coexistence standards. He said specifically
that Austria's opposition to Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMO) is "not a food safety or food security issue." The
Minister added that many new EU member states are presing for
greater biotech plantings, and want the EU to expand biotech
usage. Proell said consumers should have the "right to
choose" GM or non-GM products.
KILNER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AGRICULTURE FOR FAS - ELIZABETH JONES
PASS USTR FOR D.VETTER
STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - SAINT-ANDRE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EU AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA TO VOTE "NO" ON BIOTECH SUGAR BEET AND
STACKED BIOTECH CORN VARIETIES
REF: STATE 50150
1. Ambassador and AgCouns presented reftel demarche in the
course of a general meeting with Austrian Agriculture
Minister Josef Proell on April 19. (Full report septel.)
2. Proell indicated that Austria would vote "no" at the EU
Standing Committee on the European Commission's proposal to
approve two biotech corn varieties and one biotech sugar beet
variety. He said the main reason for Austria's opposition is
the lack of EU coexistence standards. He said specifically
that Austria's opposition to Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMO) is "not a food safety or food security issue." The
Minister added that many new EU member states are presing for
greater biotech plantings, and want the EU to expand biotech
usage. Proell said consumers should have the "right to
choose" GM or non-GM products.
KILNER