Bill to prohibit GMO cultivation backed by Russian authorities

© RIA Novosti

10:59 20/01/2015

MOSCOW, January 20 (RAPSI) – The government's legislative commission has approved a bill to prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified plants and animals in Russia, says a statement posted on the government’s website on Tuesday. The bill was proposed by the Ministry of Science and Education.

Supplementary materials say that the bill “would prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified plants and animals in Russia with the exception of expert evaluation and research.”

The bill’s authors propose amending the laws on state regulation of genetic engineering, seed growing and environmental protection and the Code of Administrative Offences “to improve state regulation of genetic engineering in order to minimize the risk to human beings and the environment.”

The bill would also introduce “measures to monitor the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the environment and the influence of GMOs and products produced with the use of or containing GMOs on humans and the environment, and to oblige the importers of GMOs and products containing them to register these products.”

The government would have the authority to prohibit the import of said organisms and products following monitoring. Violators of the regulations for using GMOs would be subject to administrative penalties.

The government believes that the adoption of the bill would strengthen human and environmental security in the process of genetic engineering and the use of genetically modified organisms and products.