September 27, 2007

EU ministers fail to OK import of 3 biotech corn varieties

Agriculture ministers from 10 European Union countries Wednesday (September 26) blocked approval of three genetically modified varieties of corn for use on the EU market, reflecting continued deep divisions among EU nations over whether biotech crops pose a risk to human or animal health.

The products had been given the all-clear by the EU's s food safety authority, EFSA, which said they would not have adverse effects on health or the environment.

Diplomats said Austria, Malta, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg voted against, while France and Italy abstained, ensuring a deadlock. The UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden led the group of biotech crop supporters.

The failure to reach agreement means it will be left to the European Commission to approve the three products, which it is expected to do in the coming weeks.

Two of the GM crops were jointly developed and marketed by US companies Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. and Mycogen Seeds.

Their corn products are designed to resist insects like the corn rootworm and be tolerant to herbicides. The third corn product, developed by US biotech firm Monsanto Co. (MON), is also insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant.

All three products are meant to be used in food and animal feed production but not used for cultivation in the EU.

The commission has been trying to get all EU governments on side to open up the EU market to more biotech crops, something the US, Canada and others have demanded.

The EU ended a six-year moratorium on accepting applications for new biotech products in May 2004, introducing strict approval procedures and labeling regulations, but several EU nations remain reluctant to authorize biotech crops because of public health and environmental concerns.