Biotech Updates

Austria Snubs GM

June 20, 2008

Supermarket chains in Austria will not be offering genetically modified organisms (GMO)-derived food products at present, nor will the animal industry in the country be using GM maize lines MON810 and T25. This is in spite of the lifting of the import ban on MON810 and T25 by the European Union (EU) Commission in May this year.

Since June 1999, Austria had prohibited the import, processing and cultivation of the lines MON810 and T25 from the Monsanto and Bayer companies and justified this decision with reasons of health protection. Scientists have earlier attested to the safety of both maize types for human beings and the environment. The Austrian Minister of Health, Andrea Kdolsky, announced the formation of a research advisory council to assay “Risk Research and Use-of-Potential Analysis in Green Gene Technology”.

To read more, visit: http://www.coextra.eu/country_reports/news1202_en.html.