By Jeremy Smith
BRUSSELS - Several influential EU states have dug in their heels on
whether their farmers may grow one of Europe's oldest genetically
modified (GMO) crops, raising the stakes in the EU's long-running
stalemate over biotech policy.
The crop is a modified maize variety known as MON 810, marketed by
leading U.S. biotech seeds company Monsanto.

Also known by its commercial name YieldGard, the maize type is designed
to resist the European corn borer, a pest that attacks maize stalks and
thrives in warmer climates in southern EU countries such as Italy and
Spain.

While Monsanto says the protein contained in its maize has selective
toxicity but is harmless to humans, fish and wildlife, an increasing
number of the EU's 27 countries are unconvinced.

National GMO bans are the only part of Europe's biotech debate where EU
countries can agree, since they see attempts by Brussels to order a
government to lift its ban as an attack on national sovereignty. So,
unusually, they tend to band together.

The European Commission has tried this on three occasions in the past
two years and got a stinging rebuff on each occasion.

In the past few weeks, two EU agricultural powerhouse countries - France
and Germany - entered the fray. Not only do they wield huge clout under
the bloc's weighted voting system for decision-making, they also grow
vast amounts of cereals.

First, Germany's government said maize produced from MON 810 seeds could
only be sold if there was an accompanying monitoring plan to research
its effects on the environment: a restriction that farmers say is
tantamount to a growing ban.

The proposed restriction, to apply from 2008, has already been notified
to Commission authorities in Brussels.

Soon afterwards, French government number two Alain Juppe, in charge of
his country's environment, transport and energy policy, said in a
newspaper interview that he would not exclude being "inspired" by
Germany's proposed GMO ban.

Diplomats said it was too early to know if the French and German stances
would affect voting for new GMO approvals - EU countries have clashed
over this for years - but warned that it might alter the balance between
'pro' and 'anti' GMO countries.

"Even a national ban would get them into hot water with the Commission,
but if it's a blanket change in position (on biotech policy) then it
raises the stakes," one said.

National bans

Austria banned MON 810 maize in June 1999, around 14 months after the EU
issued its original authorization. That national ban was cited, along
with several others, by Argentina, Canada and the United States in an
international challenge against the European Union at the World Trade
Organization a few years ago.

Hungary, one of the EU-27's biggest grain producers, became the first
eastern European country to ban GMO crops or foods when it outlawed the
planting of MON 810 seeds in January 2005.

The same year, Greece and Poland used a provision in EU law that allows
countries to decide whether to allow GMO seeds on national territory --
although a ban must be approved by EU member states to be legal. Both
countries have restrictions in place against MON 810 maize.

Bulgaria's parliament has also indicated support for national
restrictions for growing MON 810 maize.

EU environment ministers have slapped down several draft orders authored
by the European Commission for countries to rescind their national GMO
bans. This happened last February in the case of Hungary and also in
December 2006, for Austria.

"We have had two councils (EU ministerial meetings) that have rejected
Commission proposals (to lift GMO bans) with a large majority, and now
there is this additional case in Germany," a Commission official told
Reuters. "We have to look at the whole (GMO) authorization policy at
some point."

[uk.reuters.com]