Austria and Italy have joined the growing ranks of EU countries opting out of GM crops. After the announcement last week, the list now includes France, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, and Latvia. Russia has also banned GMOs. From the website www.sustainablepulse.com we read: Austrian Health Minister Sabine Oberhauser and a number of Italian Ministries have confirmed that both countries are officially requesting an opt-out from growing the eight varieties of GM maize permitted or set to be permitted at the EU level, thus there will now be a full ban on GM crops in both countries under new EU regulations.

“Austria has made use of the newly created EU opt-out rules for the authorization of genetically modified crops,” Oberhauser stated on Wednesday. She further added that Austria’s geographical opt-out demand was delivered to the European Commission earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the Italian Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, Maurizio Martina, alongside Environment Minister, Gian Luca Galletti and Minister of Health Beatrice Lorenzin announcedthat they are preparing 8 letters (one for each GM maize variety) that will be received by the EU before October 3 with Italy’s demand for an opt-out from growing GM crops.

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