March 18, 2010

The National Assembly adopted on March 18, 2010 the amendments to the GMO Act. They intend to maintain the ban on the release in the environment and the marketing of genetically modified organisms contained in tobacco, vine, rose oil, wheat and all vegetable and fruit species.

Parliament banned the cultivation and release of genetically modified organisms within the boundaries of protected areas and regions, defined by the national ecological map and in a distance of no less than 30 kilometers around. The ban covers also the release and cultivation of GMOs in a radius of ten kilometers around apiaries and seven kilometers around areas of organic production and fixes in the Annexes to the Act the spacing around crops grown by way of traditional means of agricultural production.

A fine of BGN 500 thousand to one million will be imposed to anyone who violates the ban on the release and cultivation of GMOs in certain areas. The same penalty will be imposed for the release for testing, breeding and marketing of genetically modified versions of plants traditional for Bulgaria.

When the ban comes from another EU country, the Minister of Agriculture and Food will begin the procedure for imposing a safeguard clause in our country, decided the National Assembly. The safeguard clause can also be applied for traditional crop species of great economic importance for Bulgaria.

The Minister of Agriculture and Foods may propose to the Council of Ministers to temporarily restrict or prohibit the use or sale of GMOs even though the marketing of the products had been previously authorized. The provision may be applied when there is reason to believe that the product poses a risk to human health and the environment.