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GM FOOD‘Countries have different rea ‘Frankenstein food’? Or an idea whose time has come? Adam Hill reports on the groups battling it out over GM technology there was more discussion in Brussels,” says Moll. “It depends on the local agenda; countries have different reasons to reject it.”AEuropean resistance come. EuropaBio is the pre-eminent lobbying body on the continent for companies involved in GM, including those whose maize crops were the subject of the latest vote. “The old assumptions are that nobody wants GM – but farmers are growing more,” Moll says. EU production of Bt maize actually increased 21 per cent yearon-year from 88,673 hectares in 2007 to 107,719 hectares in 2008. “Globally GMOs [genetically modified organisms] are turning out to be what the industry said they would be: one of many tools you can use depending on need,” she adds. Choice – for farmers and consumers – is a key word in EuropaBio’s lobbying efforts. Moll says that polls show consumer opposition to GM in Europe has decreased from European politicians – unlike those in the US, where more than 50 per cent of the world’s GM food is produced – remain resistant. “There are all kinds of inconsistencies in the way that European policymakers frame their policies,” believes Daniel Pearsall, co-ordinator of Westminster’s all-party group on science and technology. “It is a political constipation rather than a science-based one.” Pearsall is also secretary of Scimac, a group whose members include the National Farmers Union, Crop Protection Association and Agricultural Industries Confederation. “We support scientific innovation rather than promoting GM to the exclusion of everything else,” he explains. “It’s been too much of a black-and-white debate. Opposing GM is like opposing the petri-dish – it’s a knowledge base. We need all the tools in the toolbox, GM cannot exist on its own.” To prove its point, Scimac has developed protocols for the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops, for which Pearsall says there’s “a measure of support within Defra”. The Soil Association does not agree, however. The group argues that open-air GM trials have resulted in long-term contamination of the soil, making it impossible to grow non-GM crops. It also believes GM puts human health at risk.t the end of the 1990s, the debate across Europe on genetically modified (GM) food was submerged beneath a tidal wave of headlines screaming variations on the ‘Frankenstein foods’ theme. GM technology, which changes a crop’s genetic make-up using DNA from other organisms in a bid to make it stronger or resistant to blight, for example, was seen then as unproven and even unsafe to humans and to the environment. The negative publicity had a striking effect: to this day, right across the European Union, only one GM crop – called Bt maize and approved as long ago as 1998 – is allowed to be grown.ECJ ruling on locations GM remains a hot issue. The European Court of Justice ruled in February that the public has a right to know on request the exact locations of fields containing GM crops. In Brussels at the end of February, the EU voted on whether to allow two more maize crops, Bt 11 (developed by Syngenta) and Bt 1507 (Pioneer Dupont and Dow AgroScience). The result was the same as in every other such vote over the past 11 years: no result. This is because all member states have to agree by what’s known as a ‘qualified majority’; it rarely happens and so the upshot is an ongoing stalemate on GM at a European level. The Council of Ministers will now need to make a decision at some point this year. In 2008 only seven of the EU’s 27 countries – Spain, Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Slovakia – officially planted the one legal GM crop on a commercial basis anyway. And in a further blow to the pro-GM camp, French president Nicolas Sarkozy last year introduced an outright ban on GM in France.“The old assumptions are that nobody wants GM – but farmers are growing more” – Nathalie Moll 70 per cent in 2004 to 58 per cent last year – and the 42 per cent of people who are not opposed to GM have little chance currently of finding out what it tastes like. “Last year when food price was an issueGM food 1985 GM crop trials begin in various countries 1992 The word ‘Frankenfood’ is coined by Paul Lewis, a US college professor, in a letter to the New York Times 1993 US Food and Drug Administration allows companies to market GM seed 1994 The first commercially available GM food, the FlavrSavr tomato, modified in order to prolong its shelf life, is approved in the US 1996 GM tomato paste arrives in Britain; a soya bean that resists herbicide is grown for the first time in the USTIMELINE 1998 Scientist Árpád Pusztai claims that GM potatoes harm rats 1999 Herbicide-resistant GM crop trials begin in Britain; but concerns from public and media persuade supermarkets to stop stocking products with GM ingredients 2000 UK government begins three-year trial of three GM crops: maize, oilseed rape and sugar beet 2007 Government backs industry call to bring GM to Britain 2008 French president Nicolas Sarkozy bans growth of GM crops in FranceStanding up for GM However, Nathalie Moll, executive director of green biotechnology Europe for EuropaBio, thinks GM is an idea whose time has 26 | PublicAffairsNews | April 2009 APRIL 2009www.publicaffairsnews.cinside this issueCelic departs HSBC for Prudential role By IAN HALLPreparing for power How would the Tories tackle their first 100 days? page 18 ‘The register does not work’ View from Brussels PAGE 13 A picture of health? Helen Bradburn pagES 20-21 Ed Vaizey Kevin newsRail regulator bags external affairs supremo Ken Young joins from the Pensions Regulator, which replaces him with former aide to pensions minister Rosie Winterton The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has recruited the Pensions Regulator’s head of communications to head its newly created 18-strong newsAlstom brief for Bell Pottinger Public Affairs Alstom has brought in Bell Pottinger Public Affairs to provide UK lobbying advice. The agency appointment, believed to be the first time the company has handed out a major retained UK PA contract, follows the appointment of a new UK comms director a newsCentrica lures Defra aide Novozymes plans by ian hallFTSE 100 energy giant Centrica has lured Justin Johnson from Defra, where he was specialist adviser to environment secretary Hilary Benn MP. Johnson has taken the role of public affairs manager, reporting to director of public affairs and Euro New-biz round-up Your essential monthly digest of organisations appointing or changing consultanciesSMARTA.COM • G4S • ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED MULTIPLE RETAILERS • AMGEN • LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY • UCAS Kaup. Singer Fried. depositors’ action group – Bell Pottinger An ‘action group’ of deposito newsEx-Brunswick partner claims HSBC role Banking giant HSBC has made a brace Her role with HSBC marks a a senior appointments to bolster return to an in-house banking job: its international public affairs. before Brunswick she was interim The group has appointed Joanna director of corporate affairs newspeople moves www.publicaffairsnews.cONLINE 20MAREustice joins Allan’s Portland Portland PR last month recruited one of www.publicaffairsnews.c clients, splitting his time between the ONLINE 26MAR the best-known and longest-serving agency and his duties in Cornwall. names in the Conservatives’ PR MediaHow political rivals are faring in the presscommons incheS: Miliband, Clark and Hughes rival PARLIAMENTARIANS’ press coverage – number of mentions 16 Ed Miliband 8 Mar: Sunday papers note that Miliband will warn the Scottish Labour conference that the party and the country face testing timesmed Consultation tracker Your essential monthly digest of new consultations of interest to the public affairs communityON-DEMAND TV • ECO-TOWNS • TICKET TOUTING • GAMING TABLES • ‘CARBON NEUTRALITY’ • MEDICAL DEVICES • APPRENTICESHIPS CONSULTATIONS LAUNCHED IN THE PAST month BBC Trust – ‘Project Canvas’ european news‘EU quarter’ revamp hailed PA pros welcome news that Rue de la Loi area is set to be given makeover BRUSSELS: Lobbyists have given the values they defend and promote on the thumbs-up to news that Brussels’ international stage”. generally ugly ‘European quarter’ is Edelman’s London-based european newseuropean News in brief – EXTRA B-M PREPARES EP ELECTIONS PREDICTOR: Burson-Marsteller (B-M)’s Brussels office is this month launching a website – www. predict09.eu – that will offer updated weekly predictions, based on polling data, of the result of European Parliament elections. The el european newsConference dominated by ‘downturn’ talk BRUSSELS: the EIGHTH EUROtive Andrew Hawkins are pean Centre for Public reproduced below. Affairs (ECPA) annual The conference was conference saw top Eurodominated by talk of the pean professionals gather impact of the recession, at the Berlaymont Are you prepared for the changes about to take place in Brussels? As a political and public affairs communications specialist, Dods can help you to keep track of the personnel and institutional changes that are on the horizon. With this in mind we provide specific services focusing on the elections think-tank newsByrne and Gove at IPPR/PwC debate The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has teamed up with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to launch a three-year work programme that aims to set out the ‘practical steps’ needed to create a ‘smarter, more effective’ state. Their ‘Towards a Smart BAR . RESTAURANT . CAFÉ Located moments from the Houses of ParliamentCatering for events 10-180 people Exclusive Hire Meetings and Conferences Bar and Café Area Four Millbank, London SW1P 3JA Four Millbank, London SW1P 3JA Tel: 020 7233 0032 Tel: 020 7233 0032 Fax: 020 7233 0010 Fax: 020 7233 0010 E opinion – leadereditor’s COMMENT Scottish market typifies agency sector as ’09 q1 ends very time I ask someone working for a PA consultancy how they are coping during the recession, answers seem cloned from the same template: “...clients still need public affairs advice, even if the economy’s lousy. opinion – pan panelQHOT TOPIC: AFTER THE ELECTION... [ Jo Tanner Director, IN-HOUSE PRTHE QUESTION: What would the first 100 days of a Cameron government bring? With the Conservative Party maintaining a healthy lead in the polls, Tory strategists are planning for how to adjust to power after more th opinion – columnistsed vaizeyMP COMMENTkevin maguireJOURNALIST COMMENTWhy it’s becoming tougher to ‘Transparency’ provides lowbe a parliamentary candidate hanging fruit for hungry hacks t’s quite common these days to find prominent figures from the public affairs sector making the move into frontlin Profile – HELEN BRADBURN‘There is a huge amount of potential to do more here’ After 11 years at the NHS Confederation Helen Bradburn left for the top PA and comms role at the Health Foundation. Adam Hill finds her ‘thinking her way’ into the new role here is an electric piano in one of changes of em PROFILE – HELEN BRADBURNPA person now,” she says – after another longish pause. These exchanges are typical of Bradburn’s conversation: thoughtful rather than polished, querying rather than bullish, with responses seeming to arrive newminted rather than off a corporate production line. She should ge PA CONSULTANCIES IN SCOTLANDScot to trot As London-headquartered Mandate Communications recruits well-known Scottish lobbyist Craig Harrow to open an office in Edinburgh, Public Affairs News maps out the consultancy scene north of the border FLEISHMAN-HILLARD Opened in Scotland in Dec 1996 Top PA pe PA CONSULTANCIES IN SCOTLAND M c EWAN PARTNERS Was GJW Scotland in 1999, then McEwan Purvis; has been McEwan Partners since 2007 Directors are Sam McEwan, Jayne Swanson and Jacqueline Jamieson Four staff ‘85 to 90 per cent’ of turnover is from PA Independent, but part of FIPRA network First minister PHARMACEUTICALSPharma chameleons Counterfeit medicines and ‘market access’ are just two of the issues exercising PA professionals in the drugs sector, writes Adam Hill n 2007, more than four million counterfeit medicines were seized at EU borders, a contraband haul up 51 per cent on the previous yea PHARMACEUTICALSthe European Commission and due to be read in the European Parliament this spring. It aims to standardise the current ad hoc arrangements on patients’ rights when they receive medical treatment in other member states. Another is an EU directive on information to patients, taking in is GM FOOD‘Countries have different rea ‘Frankenstein food’? Or an idea whose time has come? Adam Hill reports on the groups battling it out over GM technology there was more discussion in Brussels,” says Moll. “It depends on the local agenda; countries have different reasons to reject it.”AEuropean re GM FOODasons to reject it...’ Policy director Peter Melchett explains: “Our fundamental argument against GM as a technology and GM crops as products is that the technology gives rise to uncertainties and risks.” Yet a large part of the group’s messaging also revolves around downplaying the whole iss EVENT PARTNERNOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSEDMONDAY 11 MAYTHE SHORTLIST WILL BE ANNOUNCED ONFOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND TABLE BOOKINGS CONTACT:EMMA STEPHENS Dods, Westminster Tower, 3 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SP +44 (0)20 7091 7677@emma.stephens@publicaffTHURSDAY 2 JULY 2009 www.publicaffairsn recruitment PC ad(PAN)030-4-09-c 3/4/09 11:34 Page 1appointmentsEnterprise Insight Head of External Relations to £45k (possible part-time arrangement available, £ pro-rata) Enterprise Insight increases entrepreneurial behaviour in the UK by equipping people with the confidence, skills and ambition t “Over many years I have drawn upon Steve Atack’s expertise in international executive search for public affairs appointments. 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When asked what represented the greatest challenge for a statesman, Macmillan famously replied: “Events, my dear bo out and aboutmy life Sophie Sutcliffe Corporate affairs executive News International Newspapers Where do you live? Shad Thames, next to Tower Bridge. So it’s a very civilised 20-minute ‘commute’ to work and ideal for trips to Borough Market on a Saturday. What’s your media diet? Wake up to the Today out and about All group shots are captioned left to right. To include photos of your event, send images to ian.hall@publicaffairsnNewsreader Alastair Stewart OBE (an Action for Children ambassador) and Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes MPMarket Research Societ Best In Class James Nason Warwick Smith Chris Lowe Richard Sutcliffe-Smith Robbie MacDuffMerging to makeContact: firstname.surname@coll