Commissie en Raad clashen over toelating gen-gewassen: lidstaten blijven laatste woord houden (en)

EU environment ministers rebuffed European Commission attempts to get more GM crops into the bloc by overwhelmingly voting in favour on Friday (24 June) of keeping national bans on genetically modified maize.

The commission had wanted ministers to vote to overturn the bans instead.

"A very large majority, 22 member states, rejected proposals to lift these national bans. We were able to give a clear message to the European Commission," Luxembourg environment minister Lucien Lux said at a press conference afterwards.

Reacting to votes, the commission said in a statement "this is the first time that council found a qualified majority against a commission proposal on GMOs, adding "the commission will now have to carefully consider the legal and scientific bases that underpin any further proposals, as well as the implications for EU internal market and trading partners".

The environment ministers' move is set to anger the US, Canada and Argentina which have taken the EU before the WTO, arguing that member states' concerns and polices are not based on scientific fact.

"The commission has a legal obligation to make sure that the existing regulatory framework governing the release of GMOs is correctly applied by member states. That is why we proposed to lift the current bans or restrictions on certain GMOs in Austria, France, Germany, Greece and Luxembourg", said environment commissioner Stavros Dimas.

"The fact that the council rejected all 8 proposals raises a host of questions. What is certain is that today's vote sends a political signal that member states may want to revisit some aspects of the existing system", he added.

The commission has three options. It can either ask the council again, amend its proposals and ask the council again or present an entirely new proposal.

The proposals to lift the so-called "national safeguard measures" on certain authorised genetically modified organisms concern the GM maize varieties T25 and MON810 banned in Austria, GM maize Bt176 banned in Austria, Germany and Luxembourg, the oilseed rape varieties MS1xRF1 banned in France and Topas 19/2 banned in France and Greece.

Environment groups have welcomed Friday's decision.

"The commission now faces a test of credibility - will it listen to national governments and the public, or carry on with its unpopular policy of pushing GM foods and crops into Europe?", asked Adrian Bebb of Friends of the Earth.