5-year GMO moratorium is now part of the Swiss constitution

SAG and Blueridge-Institute, 29.11.2005 
by Florianne Koechlin and Daniel Ammann

Switzerland voted in favour of a 5-year moratorium for commercial cultivation of genetically engineered plants and animals on Sunday, 27.11.2005. The moratorium does not apply for research into GMOs, nor does it stop import of GMO-food or feed.

It is a spectacular victory: 55,7% of voters accepted the initiative (people's referendum), as well as all 26 cantons of Switzerland. Even Basel, seat of Syngenta, Novartis and Roche, said Yes to the 5-year moratorium, with 50,8 %, while the canton Jura had with 75,9% the highest majority. 1'125 357 people voted for the initiative, 896'372 against it.

The Swiss 'initiative' is an instrument of direct democracy. A group launching such an initiative has to collect over 100'000 signatures, the request has to conform with Swiss constitution. Our initiative was submitted on 18.9.2003. After discussion in Government and Parliament it was submitted to the voters on 27.11.2005. Every Swiss person over 18 could vote. An initiative is won when a majority of all people as well as a majority of all cantons say Yes. If it is won, it becomes part of the Swiss Constitution.

In the history of Switzerland only 15 initiatives were won; it's a rare event, and if so, it's mostly very tight. In this light the extremely clear result of the moratorium-initiative is even more encouraging. Add to this that the Government, the Parliament, all conservative parties (having a majority in Switzerland), industry and mainstream science opposed the initiative, leading an aggressive and emotional campaign (the government announced: "The moratorium is poison for research", big adds claimed: "The moratorium is dishonest and superfluous")

A new and very broad coalition made this victory possible. All farmers organisations, also the conservative ones, joined in with ecological and consumer groups. (A few weeks before the vote a 'farmers committee against the moratorium' came up; managing director was an ex-Syngenta man). 96 scientists signed a declaration for the moratorium (while the opposition came up with a declaration of 171 scientists). A true grassroot movement campaigned for the initiative, in every village, in town districts, everywhere. Over 1000 Members of national and cantonal Parliaments were active for the moratorium, as well as  retailers, groups of farmers, scientists, women.

The victors of the referendum ask the federal authorities to immediately put the implementation in hand:

1. The federation has to boost, encourage consistently a strategy of quality in agriculture (Agrarpolitik 2011), in processing of food as well as food trade. Switzerland has to lead the way in Europe for the production of gmo-free food and the breeding of gmo-free seed.
2. The federation may not make international agreements during the next five years that contradict a gmo-free agriculture (WTO, free trade agreement).
3. The gene technology law has to be concretised according to the will of the public: coexistence, GMO-monitoring and biosafety need clear regulation, that guarantee after expiration of the moratorium the protection of the gmo-free agriculture. Genetically modified plants of the so called "first generation", which are plants with tolerance of herbicides or which contain Bt-genes should not be cultivated.
4. The federal authorities should assure the international development of ecological as well as social problems caused by agro-biotechnology.
5. The research in agriculture has to orientate himself on the needs of society and agriculture. Research has to be strenthen in organic agriculture. Research based on genetic engineering in the area of agriculture has to face up criticism and scepticism of the public. A main focus has to be put on biosafety research.
6. Imports of genetically modified food and feed have to be documented in a public statistics. Imports as well as research with deliberate release have to be regulated, the gmo-free agriculture is in no way to be put at risk.