EU panel OKs 2 genetically modified corn products

Tag : corn
BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Union's food safety agencyapproved two genetically modified corns Friday, putting renewedpressure on EU nations to drop their objections to the use ofbiotech crops.
Scientists at the Parma, Italy-based European Food SafetyAuthority, or EFSA gave clearance to a Bt-11 corn seed made bySwitzerland's Syngenta AG and the 1507 corn made by the U.S.-basedPioneer Hi-Bred and Dow Agrosciences.
Both varieties offer resistance to insects, including corn borersand certain butterflies. They were already deemed safe by theagency in 2005, but were resubmitted for testing by the EUCommission in May amid fresh claims by environmental groups thatthey were a threat to the environment and human health.
The EU agency also said a French ban on another GM corn product,produced by U.S. biotech giant Monsanto Co., was unjustified. TheEU granted approval to sell the seeds in the bloc in 2004.
Mike Hall, spokesman for Pioneer, welcomed the panel's opinion.
“This dossier has already been unduly delayed contrary to EUlegislation for nearly four years now and we urge the speedyapproval of 1507 so that European farmers can benefit,” Hallsaid.
It will now be up to the European Commission to decide whether toissue the companies licenses to sell the products in the 27-nationbloc.The issue poses a headache for the Commission, which is tryingto force reluctant EU governments to drop some national GM cropbans, amid increasing global pressure from Europe's trade partners.
The panel's decisions sparked a strong reaction from environmentalgroup Greenpeace, which called on the EU to suspend the agency'spower to issue safety checks until a full review of how the EUapproves GM crops is done.
Greenpeace claims more research is needed to assess the long-termimpact of altered crops on the environment and human health andalleges the scientist panel ignored evidence that the two cropscould have a bad effect on biodiversity and the environment.
“EFSA is becoming the laughing stock of the scientificcommunity. Rubber stamping anything the agro-biotech industry putsforward, with the blessing of the European Commission, isdestroying its credibility,” said Marta Vetier of Greenpeace.
EU countries are currently debating whether to change the way thebloc decides on granting user licenses to GM crops and seeds.
Many member states, including Greece, Austria, Poland and Franceare hesitant to adopt new crops fearing environmental consequences.Under EU rules member states have to approve new licensesunanimously. If they can't, the EU's executive commission makes thedecision on behalf of all countries.