European Commission to give go-ahead for GM maize

By STEPHEN CASTLE in Brussels


Seventeen varieties of genetically modified maize are to be made available for planting throughout the EU after a decision that environmental campaigners claimed could lead to contamination of conventional crops.

The move, which is the first of its kind by the European Commission, came as the authorities also opened the way to license the import and processing of a GM oilseed rape produced by the biotech company Monsanto.

Environmental campaigners attacked both decisions, claiming that there was no popular mandate for wider use of GM crops. However they welcomed a separate decision by the European Commission to shelve plans for rules on seed purity, which would have set thresholds for GM content.

Under pressure from the United States, which argues that EU restrictions on GM produce breach global trading rules, Brussels is moving slowly to free up Europe as a market.

A de facto embargo on new GM approvals within the EU ended earlier this year, although Washington is still pursuing its case through the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the US administration makes no secret of its frustration at the slow pace of change.

Before yesterday's decision, the 17 GM seeds, produced from Monsanto's MON 810 maize, which is modified to make it resistant to some insects, had been listed for sale only in Spain and France.

But because they had received EU-wide authorisation since 1998, the Commission said it was obliged to include them in a "common catalogue" of seeds available in all 25 EU countries.

David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, described the decision as "logical".

He added: "The maize has been thoroughly assessed to be safe for human health and environment. It has been grown in Spain for years without any known problems. It will be clearly labelled as GM maize to allow farmers a choice."

But Friends of the Earth campaigner Clare Oxborrow described the mover as a "recipe for disaster", adding that consumers "do not want GM food or crops, especially as there are no rules in place to prevent GM contamination."

The decision is unlikely to affect the EU's position within the WTO significantly.

A US diplomat argued that, while the decision was positive, "it has taken six years and that does not mean that a timely and efficient system is in place."

Monsanto will also have to wait for its GM maize GT73 to be approved, although that is now almost certain to happen this year or early in 2005 under the EU's complex rules.

If national governments fail to reach agreement within three months then the Commission can grant the authorisation itself for the maize to be imported and processed for feed.

Meanwhile, the Commission admitted that it was unable to reach consensus on rules over the purity of seeds containing GMOs. That means that it will be the next team of Commissioners, due to take over in November, that will have to confront the issue.

The Commission's chief spokesman, Reijo Kemppinen, said there were divisions within the 25-member college over the threshold level. The plan would have allowed batches of maize and rapeseed to contain up to 0.3 per cent GMOs before being labelled as genetically modified.

However, at least eight Commissioners argued for a higher threshold of 0.5 per cent and a more detailed economic impact assessment was called for.

Green groups, many of which feel the threshold should be set at 0.1 per cent, say that it would be better to have no legislation at all than a higher threshold because national laws currently apply. That means many countries have a regime of zero tolerance.

The British Green MEP, Caroline Lucas, said: "Today's decision to delay the debate on GM seed labelling is a victory for common sense. The Commission has respected the will of the Parliament, which voted by a large majority last year in favour of strict measures to avoid cross-contamination between GM and non-GM crops."

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