28 March 2002
What's in:
* The moratorium on commercial release of genetically engineered organisms will be automatically
lifted in October 2003 (no change from original bill).
* The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) will have to consider the risks of horizontal
gene transfer - a process by which bacteria can transfer genetic material into other organisms - for each new field
trial application (a new Green Party clause).
* Inspection and monitoring of field trial sites will be mandatory (a new Green Party clause).
* Outdoor development trials will be treated the same way as field trials (a new Green Party
clause, originally development trials were not included in the bill).
What's not:
* The new Agresearch application to make GE cows with any human, sheep, goat, cattle or mice genes
has been excluded from the new conditions on outdoor development trials. This application will be assessed by ERMA under
the old rules in May.
* The Government has backed off its promise that "all material involved" in a field trial, which
would include soil, must be able to be removed. This was proposed by the Royal Commission and was part of the
Government's policy announcement but has now been totally dropped.
Ends