27/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - Gers department in France begins appeal at ECJ. The attempt by the department of Gers in France to obtain justice and quash the six authorisations granted by the European Commission for the import of varieties of genetically modified maize for the market (not for cultivation) has begun. On 11 April, the European Court of Justice Court of First Instance decided that this appeal was inadmissible because the Department of Gers had not been “directly and individually” affected by these authorisations and that defence of the general interest was not within the scope of a department but of the state. As part of its defence, Gers mentioned the defence of organic and quality farming. Two other French departments and twelve regions in the country have supported Gers in its initiative. (A.N./trans.fl)