Parliament has passed a resolution requesting that local governments ban the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture and farming within their areas of administration, so joining a Croatian initiative.

Parliament unanimously passed the proposal put forward by the Committee on Sustainable Development, with 346 votes. The adoption of the proposal means that Hungary has joined the Croatian initiative, put forward as part of the Alps-Adriatic cooperation, that bans the use of "polluted" crops and is aimed at keeping the region free of GMOs. Croatian counties were pronounced GMO-free at the end of last year, when the fact was proclaimed by their local governments and public administration issued a relevant resolution. Croatia's intentions are in harmony with Hungary's similar aspirations, as included in the new Constitution, reinforcing and complementing those.

The goal of the Croatian initiative is to ensure GMO-free crop cultivation, animal husbandry and food production, as well as the preservation of biodiversity. Mutual domestic economic advantages are anticipated in the fields of public health and tourism, in addition to which more favourable export opportunities may arise with regard to the marketing of seeds, crops and processed foods.

At an earlier session of parliament's Committee on Sustainable Development, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development responsible, Zsolt Feldman, stated GMO-related issues require complex solutions, in relation to which the government has already taken several steps. He put forward as an example the setting up of the GMO Committee.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)