November 30,
2004, as reported by just-food.com: Bans on
genetically modified materials set up by individual
European countries will remain in place, for now anyway.
The European Commission Regulatory Committee was considering
lifting the bans currently in place in five EU member
states but failed to garner enough votes to overturn
the measures. The decision to end national bans will
now pass onto the Council of Ministers, according to
EC reports.
The draft decisions concern the GM maize varieties
T25 and MON810 banned in Austria, GM maize Bt176 banned
in Austria, Germany and Luxembourg, the oilseed rape
varieties MS1xRF1 banned in France and Topas 19/2 banned
in France and Greece.
The Commission said the Regulatory Committee, which
represents the member states, did not reach the qualified
majority necessary to support the Commission’s
proposal to ask the five member states to lift their
national bans.
The Commission said it will now formally transmit the
proposals to the Council of Ministers for a decision.
The Council can either adopt or reject the proposals
with a qualified majority. If no decision is taken after
three months, the file returns to the Commission which
can then adopt it. If the proposal is approved, the
member states in question would have to repeal their
national bans at the latest 20 days after they are formally
notified of respective decisions.
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