This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000293 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016 
TAGS: ECON TBIO EAGR GR BIOTECH
SUBJECT: GREECE DEFIES THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION; HARDENS 
STANCE AGAINST GMOS 
 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. On January 30th, Greece's Deputy Agriculture 
Minister Alexandros Kondos signed a ministerial decision to 
continue and expand the ban on 17 strains of the MON810 seed 
corn family to 31 strains.  Kondos' decision continues 
Greece's lone defiance as a member of the EU on biotech 
product and directly contradicts the EU Commission's January 
10th order for Greece to lift its ban on biotech corn seed. 
While not out of step with the overall EU member opposition 
to biotech varieties in Europe, Kondos' recent action is 
emblematic of the particularly virulent strain of anti-GMO 
activity and public opinion in Greece.  End Summary. 
 
Background: The Ongoing Battle 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) Over the past decade, the market for U.S. seed product 
in Greece has lost over 55% of its market share from 18 
million USD in 1995 to 8 million USD in 2005. The loss of 
this market is a function of the efforts of broader EU 
anti-GMO activity via NGOs and various EU representatives as 
well as focused domestic agricultural protectionism by 
members of Greek Parliament. 
 
¶3. (C) The EU Commission's January 10th order for Greece to 
lift its 2004 ban on the 17 varieties of MON810 type corn 
seed represented a shot across the bow of Greek agriculture 
policy, and as of yet, Greece has not altered its course.  In 
a largely symbolic response to this order, the GoG is now 
expanding the ban to an additional 14 variants of MON810 
seed, citing "scientific evidence (that) confirms that the 
cultivation of maize poses an immediate environmental risk." 
Post's contacts with the Ministry of Agriculture however, 
were unaware of any such research or evidence regarding the 
MON810 seed family. 
 
 
Coexistence 
----------- 
 
¶4. (C) EU coexistence policy on biotech crops has proven to 
be ambiguous and allows member countries to use its 
implementation as an effective delaying tactic by instituting 
a complex web of laws, regulations, and penalties for those 
who chose to utilize biotech varieties.  To this end, it is 
widely believed that Greece will adopt Italy's methodology 
for coexistence as they await further action from Brussels on 
their continued resistance to MON810 corn seed.  The current 
tactic of expanding their unilateral ban to 31 varieties of 
MON810 corn seed will help delay EU efforts to enforce its 
ruling.  In the meantime, the GoG will be looking at 
implementing a biotech coexistence policy that simultaneously 
appeases the EU while making it virtually impossible to 
import or plant biotech products.  In no case does it appear 
that the GoG is interested in accommodating biotech product 
in Greece. 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5. (C) While Greece's recent decision to expand its ban from 
the original 17 MON810 varieties to 31 will most likely fall 
in the face of EU pressure, the use of the decision as a 
delaying tactic is almost certain to achieve its objective. 
Once the tactic of the ban has been overcome however, the 
challenge of testing GM seeds as well as actual planting in 
accordance with EU coexistence policies will also provide the 
GoG with ample opportunities to delay the penetration of 
biotech varieties into the Greek agricultural market. 
 
 
¶6. (C) Greece leads the EU in percentage of population 
employed in the Agricultural sector (7%), and agricultural 
issues play a significant role in the political arena.  In 
addition to the overall public perception of the dangers of 
GM product in terms of long term bio-diversity, Greek NGOs, 
including the Greenpeace chapter, continue to beat the drum 
loudly and often on the dangers of GM product in the Greek 
press, and their message is well received.  Post has 
requested funding to address the education issue on GM seed 
product with the farmers and cooperatives in 2006.  Post will 
also host a Science Fellow in 2006 who intends to study the 
effect that the extensive use of pesticides are having on the 
groundwater supply in the Thessalian plain.  This research 
may help make a more affirmative case for biotech varieties 
in order to reduce pesticide use in the future. End Comment 
RIES