EU split over GMO maize, awaits default approval

BRUSSELS – European Union (EU) farm ministers showed their deep disagreement on biotech foods on Monday, failing to agree on authorising imports of a new genetically modified (GMO) maize after the bloc’s biotech ban was lifted in May, officials said.

Meeting to discuss whether to authorise a Roundup Ready maize type made by US biotech firm Monsanto, the bloc’s 25 farm ministers were unable to muster a sufficient majority either to approve or reject an application for imports. “There was no agreement for or against,” an EU official told reporters.The almost certain course now is for the European Commission to issue a final approval of the maize, by legal default, in October or early November.The maize, known as NK603 and altered to resist the herbicide glyphosate, allows farmers to manage weeds more effectively.It would be used to make products such as starch, oil, maize gluten feed and maize meal, and for use in feed.Only a handful of national delegations made statements at the meeting but it was enough to show current EU president the Netherlands that no decision could be taken since the remaining countries had not altered their previous positions.Of those that spoke, five were opposed to approving the maize: Austria, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Luxembourg.Belgium was the only country to say it was in favour of an authorisation, while Germany and Hungary abstained.Poland and Estonia said they had no position on the issue.Under the EU’s complex decision-making process, if EU member states fail to agree after three months at ministerial level on allowing a new GMO into the bloc, then the Commission – the bloc’s executive arm – may rubberstamp an authorisation.”The Commission will take the decision in October.It’s a rubberstamp,” a Commission official told reporters.But due to a likely delay in finalising and translating the text for the Commission’s approval, the final decision for NK603 might be taken by the incoming Commission when the current administration left office at the end of October, she said.Green groups were unimpressed by the likely EU approval later this year, which would be the bloc’s second after it effectively restarted new GMO authorisations in mid-May.That happened when the Commission cleared the sale of a tinned biotech sweet maize known as Bt-11, made by Swiss firm Syngenta, using its own powers to permit imports.”This pattern of decision-making by default is starting to expose the lack of credibility of EU authorisation procedures,” said Eric Gall, GMO policy adviser at international environment group Greenpeace’s Brussels office.”Most consumers do not want GMOs and member states have not agreed to approve them.The Commission is defying democracy by pushing through these approvals to satisfy the biotech lobby and its US backers,” he said in a statement.Although the farm ministers normally decide on new GMOs for use in food, environment ministers must also agree on the NK603 file since Monsanto wants to import maize for processing, not as a finished product.So there is a potential environmental risk.The Commission also approved NK603’s environmental risk on Monday, for the maize to be used in animal feed.Although half of the EU’s required approval process is now complete, no imports may start until the final rubberstamp in October.”Today’s decision grants approval for the use of NK603 maize in animal feed.However, imports for this use can only commence once the equivalent approval has also been granted for food use,” it said in a statement.Monsanto welcomed what it saw as a step in the right direction regarding use of GMOs in the EU.”This decision is welcome progress toward completing the necessary regulatory approvals for Roundup Ready Corn 2 technology in the EU,” Brett Begemann, Executive Vice-President of International Commercial, said in a news release.”We’re hopeful that this is a signal that the European Communities and its Member States are serious about ending the moratorium on biotech approvals.”-Nampa-Reuters”There was no agreement for or against,” an EU official told reporters.The almost certain course now is for the European Commission to issue a final approval of the maize, by legal default, in October or early November.The maize, known as NK603 and altered to resist the herbicide glyphosate, allows farmers to manage weeds more effectively.It would be used to make products such as starch, oil, maize gluten feed and maize meal, and for use in feed.Only a handful of national delegations made statements at the meeting but it was enough to show current EU president the Netherlands that no decision could be taken since the remaining countries had not altered their previous positions.Of those that spoke, five were opposed to approving the maize: Austria, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Luxembourg.Belgium was the only country to say it was in favour of an authorisation, while Germany and Hungary abstained.Poland and Estonia said they had no position on the issue.Under the EU’s complex decision-making process, if EU member states fail to agree after three months at ministerial level on allowing a new GMO into the bloc, then the Commission – the bloc’s executive arm – may rubberstamp an authorisation.”The Commission will take the decision in October.It’s a rubberstamp,” a Commission official told reporters.But due to a likely delay in finalising and translating the text for the Commission’s approval, the final decision for NK603 might be taken by the incoming Commission when the current administration left office at the end of October, she said.Green groups were unimpressed by the likely EU approval later this year, which would be the bloc’s second after it effectively restarted new GMO authorisations in mid-May.That happened when the Commission cleared the sale of a tinned biotech sweet maize known as Bt-11, made by Swiss firm Syngenta, using its own powers to permit imports.”This pattern of decision-making by default is starting to expose the lack of credibility of EU authorisation procedures,” said Eric Gall, GMO policy adviser at international environment group Greenpeace’s Brussels office.”Most consumers do not want GMOs and member states have not agreed to approve them.The Commission is defying democracy by pushing through these approvals to satisfy the biotech lobby and its US backers,” he said in a statement.Although the farm ministers normally decide on new GMOs for use in food, environment ministers must also agree on the NK603 file since Monsanto wants to import maize for processing, not as a finished product.So there is a potential environmental risk.The Commission also approved NK603’s environmental risk on Monday, for the maize to be used in animal feed.Although half of the EU’s required approval process is now complete, no imports may start until the final rubberstamp in October.”Today’s decision grants approval for the use of NK603 maize in animal feed.However, imports for this use can only commence once the equivalent approval has also been granted for food use,” it said in a statement.Monsanto welcomed what it saw as a step in the right direction regarding use of GMOs in the EU.”This decision is welcome progress toward completing the necessary regulatory approvals for Roundup Ready Corn 2 technology in the EU,” Brett Begemann, Executive Vice-President of International Commercial, said in a news release.”We’re hopeful that this is a signal that the European Communities and its Member States are serious about ending the moratorium on biotech approvals.”-Nampa-Reuters