The German biotechnology industry has called on German and European politicians to end "discrimination" against GM products. In a position paper released today, the German Biotechnology Industry Association (Deutsche Industrievereinigung Biotechnologie, DIB) demands a national strategy that provides opportunities to use the benefits offered by modern biotechnology, rather than making it impossible for GM products to reach the market because of impractible and insurmountable regulatory demands.
Jens Katzek, Managing Director of the DIB, explains, "We need a consistent policy. Chancellor Schröder has emphasized repeatedly that biotechnology is a 'key' technology. Yet, when it comes to the approval of GM products, there are often problems. This discrepancy is particularly obvious in the field of plant biotechnology, but the pharmaceutical industry is also affected."
The DIB has therefore joined forces with other industry bodies and with the influential Mining, Chemicals and Energy Union (Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie, IG BCE) to produce this ...
