Sofia, Bulgaria
July 3, 2003

from Bulgarian News Network (BNN) via Checkbiotech.org

Bulgaria will adopt European Union rules to allow use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) under a draft law that the government approved Thursday, an expert said.

Licenses to work with GMO will be issued after risk assessment under EU standards, said Prof. Atanas Atanasov from the Agrarian Biological Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture.

He said the assessment would make sure that GMO creation, testing and commercialization would not endanger human health and the environment.

The draft law does not concern foods and human and veterinary medicines, for which separate regulations will be drafted, Atanasov said.

It was not immediately clear when Parliament would vote on the legislation.