Six states block end to GM ban

16 February 2001



Six states block end to GM ban

By FWi staff

SIX EU countries have refused to lift their block on genetically modified products, despite the European Parliament approving a deal.

The Financial Times says this is a “significant blow” to hopes of an early end to the EUs three-year moratorium of approving new GM crops.

On Wednesday (14 February) the parliament passed a deal with EU governments to tighten licensing for new GM products.

This suggested that new products would soon get the go-ahead for planting.

But France, Italy, Austria, Greece, Denmark and Luxembourg said on Thursday (15 February) they could still not back new authorisations.

Additional laws ensuring reliable tracing and environmental liability are first required, they claim.

Despite this deadlock, the EU told the FT that it was still committed to ending the moratorium.

An agreed moratorium is set to continue in Britain for at least two years until the results of field-scale trials are known.

• Europes GM moratorium to stay?, FWi, 14 February, 2001
• France leads GM ban rebels, FWi, 12 February, 2001
  
• Financial Times 16 February, 2001 page 8