October 31, 2009

EU approves three GM corn varieties for import, consumption

The European Commission Friday (Oct 30) approved three varieties of GM corn for import and consumption in the EU.

The three varieties - two developed by US biotech giant Monsanto Co. and one by Pioneer Hi-Bred, an E.I. DuPont De Nemours & Co. subsidiary - were deemed safe by the European Food Safety Authority, the commission said.

The approvals, valid for 10 years, only cover importation and do not allow the crops to be grown in the EU.

EU nations deadlocked on whether to approve or reject the three varieties. Under the 27-member bloc's arcane approval system for biotech crops, the commission, the EU's executive arm, is then given unilateral authority over whether to approve or reject authorisations for the biotech varieties.