July 14, 2009
Germany parliament in favour of GM corn
The majority of Germany's parliament members are against the current ban of Monsanto's GM corn Mon810.
The insect-resistant corn could not be planted this year by German farmers after Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said there might be effects on non-target organisms such as ladybugs.
Last week, most parliament members rejected a motion of the German Greens to vote against EU re-authorisation of Monsanto's Bt corn as well as a permanent ban of Mon810 cultivation in Germany.
Earlier on, the European food safety authority EFSA stated that Mon810 is as safe for human health and the environment as conventional corn is, which implies that the data and studies presented by Aigner to invoke the safeguard clause are irrelevant.
The parliament members also voted against a Green Party suggestion to establish GM-free zones.
