January 11, 2006

EC orders Greece to lift Monsanto corn seed ban

The European Commission Tuesday ordered Greece to lift its ban on one type of GM corn seed by US biotech giant Monsanto, according to a document obtained by Dow Jones Newswires.

No health or safety grounds justify the ban, the document said.

The decision underlines splits in the EU over GM food. The Brussels-based Commission wants to allow them in order to defuse trade tensions with the US and to keep European agriculture competitive. But European consumers--and their governments--are resisting.

In September 2004, the Commission authorised 17 different strains of Monsanto corn for planting and sale within the 25 EU countries. But the Greek government banned the seeds in April 2005, saying it believed the products presented a health danger.

"Greece did not supply the necessary information to support this move," the document said. The Monsanto product "had been fully assessed as safe for both human and environmental health".

EU farm ministers failed to reach a consensus view on the matter at a meeting in October. Under EU rules, the Commission then has the unilateral power to insist Greece allow the seeds.