Brussels, 11/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Having failed to receive an opinion from member states on the proposal to authorise two varieties of hybrid transgenic maize - 1507xNK603 and NK603xMon810 - in the EU, the European Commission decided to refer the matter to the Council of the EU.
On 8 June, the standing committee on the food chain and animal health, a group of experts from EU member states, was unable to reach the qualified majority necessary to approve or reject the Commission proposals.
If the Council does not reach a position within three months, the proposals will be sent back to the Commission for final adoption. Authorisation to market the two maize hybrids would mean they could be imported into the EU and used in human foods and animal feeds, but would not allow them to be cultivated.
The favourable opinion delivered by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) informed the Commission proposal. The Commission proposed to authorise the two GMOs for an initial period of ten years, as provided for in the legislation. Any products produced from these varieties of genetically modified maize would be subject to EU labelling and traceability rules (regulations 1829/2003/EC and 1830/2003/EC on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified or GM derived foodstuffs and animal feeds). (an)