EU debate over GMOs approaches new peak Environment Daily 1649, 19/04/04 EU debate over genetically modified (GM) crops and foods is approaching a new peak as ministers prepare to decide whether to end the bloc's five-year moratorium on commercialisation of GM products. European environmental groups are stepping up efforts to head off the moratorium's demise. On Sunday, EU rules on traceability and labelling of GM products entered force, removing one obstacle to a positive decision by ministers. In anticipation, environmental group Greenpeace announced last week that it was stepping up its global campaign against GM foods. The NGO followed up on Monday by calling on the ten prospective EU member states to ban all GMOs approved by the bloc during the 1990s under old legislation. "Past approvals did not consider the unique ecosystems of accession countries," it said. Greenpeace may not need to fight too hard in Europe in the short term. When farm ministers consider an application by Syngenta to market a modified maize known as Bt11 on 26 April they will almost certainly fail to reach agreement, EU and industry sources told Environment Daily. This would effectively reconfirm the moratorium, propelling the issue back to the European Commission, which has powers to approve the application unilaterally but a question mark over its political will. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of other GM product applications are going through the EU regulatory system, and the European food safety authority (Efsa) advanced the process on Monday. The authority announced backing for another Monsanto maize called MON863, saying that imports and processing for animal feed would not have adverse effects on human and animal health or the environment. On the other hand, Efsa refused to back a hybrid modified maize (MON863 x MON810). Further data is needed, it concluded. An additional animal study is being requested. Follow-up: EU council of ministers http://ue.eu.int/en/summ.htm, tel: +32 2 285 6211; Greenpeace http://www.eu.greenpeace.org/, tel: +32 2 274 1900 and press releases of 16 April http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/press/release?item_id=456664&campaign_id= and 19 April http://www.environmentdaily.com/docs/40419b.doc; Efsa http://www.efsa.eu.int/, tel: +32 2 337 2111 and opinion http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gmo_opinions/381_en.html. See also European Commission Q&As on EU regulation of GMOs http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=MEMO/04/85|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display= issued on 16 April.