The EU has given a green light to imports of a genetically modified soybean
made by US-based agriculture giant Monsanto, the European Commission
announced on 4 December.


Imports of the soybean, which is designed to resist Monsanto?s glyphosate
herbicides, will be used for animal feed, not human consumption.

The soybean is the latest in a string of GM products that have received
approval by default in the European Commission. Under a system enacted in
2004, the EC grants ?rubber stamp? approval of GM imports if the EU?s 27
members are unable to reach a conclusion about a specific proposal after a
set period of time. The conditional approval of the Monsanto product, MON
89788 or Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans, will last for ten years.

?MON 89788 soybean underwent the full authorisation procedure set out in the
EU legislation,? the EU said in a statement. ?Any products produced from
this GM soybean will be subject to the EU?s strict labelling and
traceability rules,? it said.

The announcement was welcomed by US producers, who rely heavily on GM
products and export more soybeans to the EU than to any other area of the
world except China. In 2007 and 2008, the EU?s 27 member countries
collectively purchased US$ 1.8 billion worth of soybean and soybean meal,
according to the American Soybean Association.

Monsanto claims that Roundup Ready 2 products have been approved in 10
countries and regions: Australia, Canada, China, the EU, Japan, Mexico, New
Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the US.

European livestock producers say the increased use of GM products worldwide
combined with the EU?s strict rules on biotech imports has made it
increasingly difficult for them to find enough feed for their livestock. In
the past, shipments of grains and rice that were found to contain GM
materials have been confiscated at European ports.

European environmentalists have long opposed the import of any GM products
out of health concerns and have denounced the Commission?s ?rubber stamp?
approval process.
www.checkbiotech.org