EU Member States Should Finally Decide On GM Crop Cultivation - EC

Bulgaria in EU | November 7, 2013, Thursday // 13:50|  views

Photo by greenpeace.org

The European Commission, EC says it will be up to member states to decide whether to cultivate a genetically modified (GM) crop known as Pioneer 1507 maize.

“In the coming months, ministers will be invited to take a position on this authorisation request,” announced EU commissioner for health Tonio Borg on Wednesday, informs EUobserver.

Pioneer, part of US chemicals firm DuPont, has made repeated requests to allow the genetically modified crop into Europe's single market.

The European Commission will be obliged by law to grant authorisation unless member states approve or reject the measure in a qualified majority vote.

The Union’s 28 environment ministers are set to vote on the matter on 13 December.

Bulgaria’s current legislation prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified crops.

Maize 1507 was developed to resist moths, such as the European corn borer, and is already authorised in the EU as a food and animal feed component, but not for cultivation, reports EUobserver.

The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has approved each of the company's six previous requests since 2001, but it has also noted that a toxin released by 1507 is dangerous to some harmless butterflies and moths.

“If 1507 gets the go-ahead, it will encourage rampant use of a herbicide so toxic that it is being phased out in Europe", Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero said in a statement said Contiero as cited by EUobserver.

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Tags: Bulgaria, genetically modified, crops, European Commission, vote, Greenpeace, toxin, maize

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