www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

France and Germany received final warnings on Tuesday of legal action and
possible fines unless they quickly update their national laws on genetically
modified (GMO) foods and crops, the European Commission said, December 2005.

The Commission said it had sent its last written warnings to both
countries for failing to integrate an EU directive on the environmental
release of GMOs into their national statute books. The law, agreed by EU
governments in 2001, regulates how GMO crops may be grown and approved
across the 25-nation bloc and ranks as the EU?s main law, of around five, on
biotech crops.

?This directive is the cornerstone of the EU?s legislative framework on
GMOs,? the Commission said in a statement. The warnings are the final chance
for both countries to update their legislation before the Commission becomes
entitled to ask the European Court of Justice (ECJ), the EU?s highest court
based in Luxembourg, to impose financial penalties. EU governments had a
deadline of October 2002 to revise their national laws to include the
directive. Š 2005: Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd

[www.financialexpress.com]

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