According to the research plan and following a high-court ruling, genetically modified wheat seed is to be sown outdoors this spring at the field location of the ETH trial institute in Lindau-Eschikon. This is ETH's aim, clearly expressed at the media conference.

Federal Supreme Court should decide

Ulrich Suter, ETH Vice-president Research was relieved the when the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) rejected the complaint against the ETH trial with genetically modified wheat on the 27th of February (1). Following this ruling ETH would be within its rights to sow the seed for the experiment without further ado but Suter would welcome a fundamental decision from the Federal Supreme Court. For this reason ETH transmitted a request to the Supreme Court that any possible appeals against the DETEC ruling addressed to the Administrative Court be postponed on the condition that such complaints are submitted without delay. The Supreme Court refused to comply with ETH's request but, according to Vice-president Suter holds out the prospect of a balance-of-interests ruling should suspensiveness be granted.

Suter pointed out that the opponents now had the chance to secure a clear decision from the highest authority. If this were to be undertaken in an expedient manner, the Supreme Court could rule before the time for sowing arrives. Should adversaries decide, however, to defer the appeal, ETH Zurich would proceed with sowing as soon as weather conditions permitted towards the end of the month.

Expertise calls for outdoor field trials

ETH Vice-president Suter went on to explain exactly why ETH was so determined – apart from the clarification of the legal situation – to adhere to this genetically modified wheat trial. He made clear that "green genetic technology" is no longer fictitious. But precisely because there are still a lot of open questions concerning the related risk, research must continue. And this research also calls for outdoor field trials. For Suter the role of a university is to provide the public with an independent analysis and expertise that is truly autonomous. Research carried out at universities was a crucial counterweight to industry's market-oriented research, he said.

No comparable publication, as yet

The genetically modified wheat trial was the subject of Christoph Sautter's statement.

Lindau, where ETH wants to carry out its trial with genetically modified wheat. large

Sautter underlined, once again, that the genetic changes in his project lead to a highly specific effect. The introduction of the so-called KP4 gene led to a product that only acts against corn blight. To date there has been no publication that describes a comparable project and Sautter is convinced of the ultimate value of this trial, despite the lengthy permission procedure and long delays.

Strengthening the dialogue

Heidi Diggelmann, President of the Federal Research Council and former professor of microbiology, supports the ETH representatives by speaking out in favour of making green genetic research in Switzerland possible. In this area ETH has an international reputation to uphold. Diggelmann finds it a great waste, for example, when returning researchers are prevented from using the knowledge that they have acquired outside Switzerland on green technology. She also addresses an earnest appeal to both the Swiss National Research Foundation and ETH to intensify their communication with the public – especially as the subject of residual risk was such a difficult one to communicate.

ETH is indeed seeking dialogue with research critics and the public at large. Ulrich Suter cites the fact that in spring 2003 under the moderation of mediator Hanspeter Thür, former president of Switzerland's Green Party, ETH endeavoured to meet genetic technology critics at a round table discussion. Greenpeace and the group "Lindau against GM wheat" rejected the offer out of hand. In the meantime they had begun to show more interest in a constructive dialogue. Suter said he welcomed this progress but made clear that it probably comes too late for the genetically modified wheat trial in question.

Protest

On the evening of the 4th of March, at the location fixed for the trial, Greenpeace presented the media with votes against the outdoor trial using genetic technology, on which representatives of the organisation had recently collected signatures during a two-week "genetically modified wheat tour" through Switzerland. In the petition Greenpeace calls upon ETH to renounce its trial. Whether the NGO will take their appeal to the Supreme Court will be decided within the next few days, according to Marianne Künzle speaking for Greenpeace.