Action against Poland has been taken by the European Commission for introducing regulations banning the husbandry and sale of genetically modified plants, which are incompatible with EU laws.

Danuta Isler reports
 
The European Commission has already reprimanded Poland several times, demanding the regulations be altered. Since the explanations of the Polish government provided so far have proven unsatisfactory to the EC, it has decided to pass the case to the European Court of Justice. In response environmentalists in Poland have stepped up efforts to protect the country's farms and promote the production of ecological products.

It was in May 2006 that President Lech Kaczynski signed a ban on the sale and registration of genetically modified seeds called the Seed Act. Later on, Poland's parliament also passed an Animal Feed Act banning GM animal feed – the action which put Poland on a collision course with the European Commission.

According to EU law, no member state is allowed to ban, restrict or hamper the turnover of genetically modified plants.

Marek Sawicki, current agriculture minister in the new government elected late last year, has declared that he would not enforce the GMO ban on animal feeds due for implementation this year. He cited the disease resistant characteristics of certain GM plants as the main potential benefit for Polish farmers. He also expressed interest in the production of certain GM plants in Poland remarking that GM products have to be clearly marked.

'Why are we afraid of GMO? Is it because it is so harmful, or because we don't know much about it yet? It would be good to have some kind of a debate on the topic.'

He also said that clear labeling on products, informing consumers that GM is an ingredient, allows them to make choices for themselves.

Since February 2006, all 16 regions of Poland have declared themselves GMO-free. Poland therefore joined Greece and Austria as the third country with complete "GMO-free" status.

Independent expert Piotr Połanecki claims that the introduction of GMO would mean changing Poland's farming sector to a monocultural and industrialised system.

'The seed regulation and animal feed regulations are very good. Once we introduce them to our environment GMO plants we will contaminate our country and it will be very difficult to enter ecological food markets.'
 
Analysts and ecologists are unanimous in saying that the awareness of GMO is still low in Poland, estimating that about 2-3% of Poles know what is at stake when it comes to genetic modifications.

Sir Julian Rose, president of the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside, has one message to the Polish authorities.

'Don't give up because Poland is a treasure trove of high quality food and the most bio-diverse countryside setting in Europe. It could be the bread basket of Europe for organic and natural foods of the future. This would be the worst moment to suddenly decide that you are going to give in to the corporate lobby and to the European Commission's attempts to force genetically modified food on the public.'
 
Activist Jadwiga Łopata agrees:

‘It is not true that only crazy ecologists are fighting with GMO. In the coalition we have now hundred organisations and VIPs, business and private people and every day someone is joining. So I believe that finally we'll start some debate about GMO and finally there will be a chance for Polish people to hear what we are facing and how big threats follow from introducing GMO on our table and on our fields.'
 
France has recently announced its decision to give up the cultivation of such GM crops citing the documented risks for human health and the natural environment as a reason.