Europe to Approve GM Crop

The EU looks set to approve a major GM crop for cultivation for the first time in over a decade.  The maize variety 1507 is produced by DuPont Pioneer and is resistant to the European corn borer.  If approved, it would join a similar crop, Monsanto’s MON810, as the only other GM ‘event’ authorised for growing in Europe (some GM potatoes for starch have been approved in recent years, but then subsequently withdrawn). 

The process has only got this far after the seed company took the case to the European Court.  This ruled that the EU Commission had illegally delayed a vote on the product (the application was first tabled in 2001).  As the crop has passed all the safety tests imposed by the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) the Commission is duty-bound to approve it unless there is a blocking majority of Member States.  Although 19 countries voted against authorisation in a recent vote, four abstained and five were in favour.  The ‘no’s’ were not numerous, and therefore the maize variety should be approved.  The Commission may take until May to make the approval formal.

Although a significant event, this hardly means the floodgates are going to open for GM in Europe.  It can be seen that a substantial number of countries are still firmly against the technology.  Those that voted for it were the UK, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Spain (the latter being where the crop will be grown).  The fact that it took over a decade and a long legal case to force the breakthrough will hardly encourage other companies to seek approvals.

On a wider note, the whole subject of the GM approvals process could be back on the agenda.  Proposals had been put forward to allow Member States more flexibility on whether to cultivate GMs on their territories (see Bulletin 02(12)).  These were rejected due to legal concerns over their compliance with WTO and Single Market rules.  The proposals may return to the table in the near future.