Decision on genetically modified oilseed rape to be referred to Council

Source: Midday Express, 17 June 2004

Following vote in the Regulatory Committee (16/06) on the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment, the decision to authorise the import and processing of the genetically modified oilseed rape known as GT73 will pass on to the Council of Ministers. The Committee, which is set up under Directive 2001/18 and representing the Member States, did not reach the qualified majority necessary to support the Commission proposal to authorise the oilseed rape. The European Commission will now, in the coming weeks, formally adopt the proposal to be sent to the Council of Ministers. The Council can either adopt or reject the proposal with a qualified majority. If no decision is taken after three months, the file returns to the Commission which can then adopt it. If authorized, the oilseed rape, which has been modified for increased tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate, would be clearly labelled as containing GM oilseed rape, in accordance with the new legislation in force since 18 April 2004.

Source: Agence France Presse via Agnet June 16/04 - II

European Union deadlocks on genetically-modified oilseed rape

A top panel, according to this story, failed to agree Wednesday whether to let genetically-modified oilseed rape be imported into the European Union (EU), which means the politically-charged decision will now be handed to ministers.

The story says that the GT73 rape, made by the US agribusiness giant Monsanto, is widely grown across the United States and is exported as a food for humans and animals.

It has genes inserted into it that make it resistant to a Monsanto herbicide, the idea being that farmers can make a single spraying of a field to kill weeds but not the crop.

The European Commission said the EU's Regulatory Committee on the release of GM organisms into the environment had failed to reach a so-called qualified majority as to whether to admit GT73.

"The Commission will now, in the coming weeks, formally adopt the proposal to be sent to the Council of Ministers," the EU executive said in its press statement.