EU lifts 5-year ban on GMO canned maize

BRUSSELS – The European Union ended its controversial ban on new genetically modified foods yesterday, allowing imports of a tinned maize without touching the more contentious issue of new GMO crops.

In the EU’s first approval in more than five years, its executive arm authorised imports of a maize known as Bt-11, marketed by Swiss agrochemicals giant Syngenta, for sale as tinned sweetcorn in supermarkets across the bloc. “GM sweetcorn has been subjected to the most rigorous pre-marketing assessment in the world,” said EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne in a statement.Bt-11 maize imports are now authorised for a period of 10 years.”It has been scientifically assessed as being as safe as any conventional maize,” he said.”Food safety is therefore not an issue, it is a question of consumer choice.”The European Commission’s decision follows months of deadlock between member states and flies in the face of European opinion, where consumers are largely hostile to biotech foods with opposition rated at more than 70 per cent.Supermarkets and food manufacturers have responded to this and still tend to avoid stocking produce that contains GMOs.Although the EU decision confounds the hopes of GMO-sceptic states such as Austria and Denmark, it should delight some of the EU’s top trading partners such as the United States, which has challenged the bloc’s ban at the World Trade Organisation.- Nampa-Reuters”GM sweetcorn has been subjected to the most rigorous pre-marketing assessment in the world,” said EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne in a statement.Bt-11 maize imports are now authorised for a period of 10 years.”It has been scientifically assessed as being as safe as any conventional maize,” he said.”Food safety is therefore not an issue, it is a question of consumer choice.”The European Commission’s decision follows months of deadlock between member states and flies in the face of European opinion, where consumers are largely hostile to biotech foods with opposition rated at more than 70 per cent.Supermarkets and food manufacturers have responded to this and still tend to avoid stocking produce that contains GMOs.Although the EU decision confounds the hopes of GMO-sceptic states such as Austria and Denmark, it should delight some of the EU’s top trading partners such as the United States, which has challenged the bloc’s ban at the World Trade Organisation.- Nampa-Reuters