EU Council's GMO approval standstill continues
(July 16, 2008) The EU Council of Agricultural Ministers once again have failed to achieve a qualified majority either for or against the market placement of two genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The European Commission now assumes responsibility for approval of the GM soybean and cotton for import and processing.
The soya and cotton varieties in question were developed by Bayer CropScience. Both plants have been genetically modified to be herbicide tolerant. The company submitted requests for approval in 2005 and 2004 respectively in the Netherlands. The requests address the use of the plants for food and feed within the European Union and exclude their cultivation.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed the soybean (A2704-12) and the cotton (LLCotton25) to be as safe as conventional varieties. However, the Agricultural Ministers once more were unable to overcome their long-standing deadlock with regard to the approval of GMOs. Sources in Brussels stated that France and Austria voted against the Commission's proposal to authorise the market placements while Germany voted therefor. Germany's Federal Minister of Agriculture, Horst Seehofer, also pleaded for more national competences for EU Member States in decisions on the cultivation of genetically modified plants.
Currently, European farmers suffer under high feed prices. These are derived from the fact that the import of soybeans and soymeal that contain traces of unapproved GMOs is illegal. The authorisation of a new soybean variety could relieve the tense feed market by allowing more soy products to be shipped to the region that are in compliance with EU labelling regulations. The Council now has concluded its proceedings with respect to the soybean A2704-12 and cotton lines and, presumably, the Commission will follow EFSA's scientific advice and authorise the products within weeks.
See also on GMO Compass:
| 
![[nach oben springen]](/images/icons/icon_gotop_9x9.gif){kind=icon}