BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) – The European Commission has approved four genetically modified crops, and said it might let European Union countries decide whether or not they grow GM crops on their soil.
The commission’s decision to approve the genetically modified potato and corn drew condemnation from environmental groups, which accused the commission, the EU’s executive arm, of ignoring consumer concerns over the safety of GM products.
The commission authorized a genetically modified potato, Amflora, developed by German chemical maker BASF, marking the bloc’s first GM cultivation approval in 12 years.
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“The decision provides for strict cultivation conditions to prevent the possibility that GM potatoes will remain in the fields after harvest and to ensure that Amflora’s seed will not be inadvertently disseminated into the wider environment,” the commission said, in a bid to allay fears of cross-contamination.
The authorization clears the cultivation of Amflora in the EU for industrial uses such as paper-making and animal feed.
BASF said the approval cleared the way for the commercial cultivation of Amflora this year. The crop will likely be grown on 620 acres in Europe, 370 acres of which are in the Czech Republic, it added.
The firm said it expected peak licence fees of $27 to $41 million Cdn per year.
The EU executive also approved three genetically modified corn types:
* Mon863xMon810
- Mon863x810xNk603
- Mon863xNk603
All are corn varieties made by Monsanto for food and feed uses and import and processing in the European Union.
The decision was the first by a new line-up of EU commissioners. Environmental groups said it ignored risks posed by the crop to human and animal health, as well as to the environment.
“It is shocking that one of the commission’s first official acts is to authorize a GM crop that puts the environment and public health at risk,” Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero said.
“If this new potato is widely grown in the European Union, organic and conventional farmers and food processors will have to face even higher costs keeping food production chains free from GMOs”, warned Bavo van den Idsert, vice-president of IFOAM, which represents organic farmers in Europe.
Approval of genetically modified crops in the European Union has long been a subject of controversy, dividing EU member states with many openly hostile to it.
The EU executive said it plans to announce proposals by summer that would, if approved, allow governments to decide whether genetically modified crops can be grown within their borders.
