Regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms Re-Enforced

The State Council Administrative Board of Litigation accepted the objection made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs against stalling the enforcement of the GDO regulations and re-enforced the regulations. The original enforcement of the regulation on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) was stopped on 3^rd December by the State Council.

The board decided by majority on the base of the following reason: "According to the constitution and relevant laws, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs bears the authority to work out regulations regarding food".

The Board decreed that the regulations have to be studied article by article to find out whether they are contrary to the law. The Council's 10^th and 13^th Office Joint Administration Committee will relate the abolishment of certain articles to the basic decision later on.

The committee had stalled the enforcement of the regulation unanimously because of the article about import of GDO products.

Unions, associations and private citizens filed a complaint about the abolishment and stalling of the GDO Regulations published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on 26 October.

The Joint Administration Committee reasoned their previous decision by saying that before a change of the regulations can be made the law has to be amended first. (İP/VK)