VZCZCXRO2282
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #0603/01 1191539
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291539Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6156
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAUSA/HHS WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3017
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000603 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR 
STATE FOR OES; EUR/ERA; EEB/TPP/ABT/BTT (BOBO); 
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY/CLARKSON; 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/HALE; 
OCRA/NENON; 
ONA/RIEMENSCHNEIDER/YOUNG/DENNIS; 
OFSO/YOUNG; 
STA/JONES/PORTER/WETZEL/CHESLEY 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR SENV ECON ETRD EU FR
SUBJECT: INSTALLATION OF THE HIGH COUNCIL FOR BIOTECH 
 
REF: (A) PARIS 2249; (B) PARIS 11 
 
¶1. (U)Summary: After much controversy, Minister for Ecology, Energy, 
Sustainable Development and Regional Planning announced the 
formation of the new High Council for Biotechnology(HCB).  The HCB, 
whose inception will be May 12, will advise the GOF on a wide range 
of biotech issues.  It has a dual assessment component composed of 
two committees, one focusing on scientific elements and the other on 
economic, ethical, and social issues.  The previous authority, 
composed solely of scientists, was disbanded by the GOF in lieu of a 
process that gives social stakeholders a voice. One of the GOF's top 
priorities for this committee is to recommend that a similar 
structure for biotech evaluation be adopted at the EU level.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.(U)On April 22, French Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable 
Development and Regional Planning (MEEDDAT) Jean-Louis Borloo 
officially instituted the new High Council for Biotechnology (HCB). 
A decree published in the French official journal on December 7, 
2008 (REF A) provided the legal basis for its creation.  All 
positions have been filled, including the politically controversial 
president position. 
 
3.(U)HCB is responsible for advising the GOF on risk assessments 
methodologies for the environment and public health in a wide range 
of biotech issues, including genetically engineered products 
(research in confined and non-confined use, and market release 
authorization), genetic therapy studies, and use of veterinary drugs 
derived from biotechnology.  HCB will evaluate risks and benefits of 
these products for public heath and the environment. 
 
4.(U)The HCB's annual budget of one million euros will be funded by 
five Ministries: Environment, Agriculture, Research, Health, and 
Economy. 
 
5.(SBU)The HCB has a unique dual assessment component composed of 
two committees, one focusing on scientific elements and the other on 
economic, ethical, and social issues.  "France is the first country 
to adopt a double assessment, scientific and ethical," said Chantal 
Jouanno, Secretary of State for Ecology.  The HCB is composed of 63 
members, to include: 
 
- President: Dr. Catherine Brechignac, current President of the 
French National Scientific Research Center (CNRS), who is a highly 
reputed atomic physicist with a reputation for independence and 
scientific integrity.  She is widely perceived as 'completely 
neutral' toward biotech products; 
 
- President of the scientific committee: Dr. Jean-Christophe Pages 
is a virologist, member of the former Genetic Engineering Committee 
(CGG) that evaluated biotech products for their confined use, and 
President  of the current gene therapy working group of the French 
Agency evaluating risks and benefits of health products (AFSSAPS); 
 
- President of the economic, ethic and social committee: Ms. 
Christine Noiville, lawyer, specialist in biotech, risk, health, 
patent, international trade and environment, bioethics law; 
 
- 34 members on the scientific subcommittee come from a variety of 
technical background to include: genetics, molecular biology, 
microbiology, human and animal health, agronomy, statistics, 
environmental sciences as well as law,  economics, and sociology; 
 
- The 26 members on the economic, ethical, and social committee 
include individuals from  the National Ethics Committee, 
environmental NGOs, consumer organizations, the High Committee for 
Public Health, the organization of employees of public health 
entities, farm organizations, the agro-food industry, the 
pharmaceutical industry, the planting seeds industry, unions of 
employees of biotech companies, mayors and local government 
organizations, members of the Parliament Scientific Committee, a 
lawyer, a economist, and a sociologist. 
 
¶6. According to the Ministry of Ecology's press release, the HCB 
will commence work in mid-May with the aim of defining 
"biotech-free" and providing biotech evaluation recommendations to 
European authorities(REF B).  The HCB has high expectations 
particularly within  seed companies that are unable to conduct 
 
PARIS 00000603  002 OF 002 
 
 
biotech product field trials in 2009 due to lack of a competent 
authority. 
 
The fact that coexistence does not make the HCB's priority list 
suggests biotech cultivation in France (which is effectively banned) 
is not likely  in the near term. 
 
¶7. Comment:  Given the wide range of opinions represented by the 
HCB's numerous members, and the currently highly political and 
mostly hostile environment around biotechnology in France, the new 
authority is likely to come up with conclusions and recommendations 
that attempt to satisfy a wide range of political constituencies. 
This does not bode well for biotech cultivation.  Recommendations on 
marketing are likely to emphasize providing consumers with 
process-oriented information.  End Comment. 
 
PEKALA