Brussels, 16/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - At their meeting in Brussels on Tuesday 15 December, European agriculture ministers briefly discussed a tricky subject over which they are divided - the production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Discussions seemed less tense than usual due to the change in the European Commission's strategy on this dossier. Austria and Hungary thus supported the Netherlands, an EU member state that has traditionally been in favour of new technologies. Vienna and Budapest felt the idea promoted by The Hague to partially renationalise the procedure for authorising genetically modified crops in Community fields was along the right lines.
Austria underlined that the possible bans on using GMOs in open fields should naturally be done within the framework of the rules of international trade and therefore be duly justified, for example for scientific reasons linked to environmental risks. The United Kingdom, for its part, felt the decision taken by the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, was a welcome one - that of conferring all GMO related problems upon the European health commissioner alone, thus doing away with the former breakdown of tasks on this subject with the environment commissioner.
Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou confirmed Barroso's wish to leave member states more wriggle room when it comes to growing GMOs. President Barroso said an “EU authorisation system based on science could respect the freedom for member states to decide whether or not they wish to cultivate GMOs on their territory”, Ms Vassiliou pointed out. She welcomed the “constructive approach” fostered by the Netherlands and said that, at the present time, the Commission is responsibile for “ensuring that current legislation is applied fully and correctly”. It is above all a matter of ensuring that GMOs declared to be harmless for human health and for the environment should be authorised within a “reasonable timeframe”. (L.C./transl.jl)