EU Experts Fail to Agree on French, Greek GM Ban
February 20, 2009| |
European Union (EU) experts failed to reach a decision on whether France and Greece should be forced to lift their ban on growing Mon810, Monsanto's insect-resistant maize and the only genetically modified crop approved for cultivation in the continent. In early 2008, the French government issued a nationwide ban on the GM maize, invoking the safeguard clause, because of 'serious doubts' as to its safety. The European Commission put forward a proposal saying that France and Greece should lift their ban after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), EU's risk assessment body for food and feed safety, rejected the countries' claim that the GM maize poses risk to human and animal health.
Nine EU member states voted for the ban to be lifted whereas 16 opposed or abstained. If in the coming months the EU nations failed to reach a decision, the Commission will give the final say.
The Commission will vote again next month to decide on whether Austria and Hungary should lift a similar GM ban.
Read http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090217/full/457946a.html for more information
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