Unclear liability

There is no legislation in place at EU or UK level to ensure liability for any adverse effects from GM food or crops, despite the UK Government promising in March 2004 to consult over a contamination compensation scheme funded by biotech companies.

• With the lack of information about potential health effects and increasing evidence of significant environmental impacts it is essential that the 'polluter pays' principle applies to GM.
• Strict liability must be also be applied to the movement or transport of GMOs, including across international boundaries. Such movements should be banned until provisions for redress and liability are in place and applied to all shipments of GM products for food and agriculture.
• Liability should rest with the the consent holders - the biotech companies - not the farmers growing GM crops or food companies dealing in crops authorities have deemed "safe".
• Biotech companies must be held to account for the health, environmental and economic damage caused by their products. 

Summary

There is an urgent need for:

• Legislation to ensure strict liability on biotech companies for adverse effects from the release and marketing of GM food and crops.
• An end to cross-boundary movements of GM organisms until liability provisions are in place.