GM Foods: New Import Policy Starts
- August 2nd, 2010
- Posted by EUEditor
The European Commission has authorised the import of a range of genetically modified (GM) maize — under an agreement brokering its differences over GM with governments of member countries.
It says the list announced on 28.7.10 includes varieties for making human food products, and animal feed, but not for cultivation, and five of the six varieties are entirely new to the European market.
In a long-running stand-off, the European Commission argued in favour of letting in GM products, and GM cultivation, based on scientific assessment and safeguards.
Ministers from member governments, meeting as the European Council, would block its efforts, some of them responding to strong opposition to GM from their political constituencies.
A compromise agreed on this year turns over decisions to permit growing GM crops, or to import genetically modified organisms (GMOs), to the national governments — but subject to approval of the Commission, applying its scientific tests.
See EUAustralia Online; “Protectionism …â€, 23.3.10; “Black potato war …â€, 4.3.10; “GMOs: Black potato getting too hot to handleâ€, 19.7.07; “Unwanted potatoes …â€, 9.12.06.
Reference
European Commission, Brussels, “Communication from the Commission … on the freedom of member states to decide on the cultivation of genetically modified cropsâ€, 13.7.10. COM (2010) 380 final. http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/docs/communication_en.pdf, (2.8.10).
EC, Brussels, “EU approves import of six types of GM maize”, 28.7.10. http://europa.eu/news/index_en.htm, (2.8.10).
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