Strasbourg, 13/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The CSU member Ingo Friedrich, who lead for the European Parliament the conciliation with the Council over the Directive concerning the authorisation for the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO), indicated to the press, following this conciliation, the a "significant step" was thus accomplished towards the lifting of the moratorium applied to this matter. At present, 14 demands for authorisation of GMO are on the table, some of which date back to 1996, he recalled. Also the German Christian Democrat Peter Liese, who participated in the same press conference, also questioned if such a moratorium was "legally admissible".
As for the Parliament rapporteur for this issue, the British Labour member David Bowe, he indicated that Commissioners Byrne and Wallström had undertaken to lift the moratorium as soon as there was agreement with the Parliament. During this conciliation, we have had "some difficult times" admitted Mr Bowe, who signalled that in particular the problems concerning the special treatment given to pharmaceutical products, exports and the public register (called for by the Parliament) had been resolved. EUROPE will return to the results of the EP/Council conciliation.