Green light for GMOs
the current moratorium on genetically modified organisms shortly.
The notion is in the air that the European Commission might lift the current moratorium on genetically modified organisms shortly.
Speaking on 2 October before the European Parliament's Environment Committee, health and consumer protection commissioner David Byrne said the first application for a GMO crop will likely come up for a vote as early as December, reports the American Soybean Association.
At the same time, agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler warned EU member states against using the issue of co-existence as a way to keep the moratorium in place. Some EU member states want EU rules on how to set a co-existence regime between traditional crops and GMO crops, continues the report.
"I strongly believe we should not close the door to the development and the use of biotechnology in European agriculture," said Fischler. "It is also important to note that the co-existence debate should not be misused for causes that will further delay the authorisation of new genetically modified organisms."
Fischler, speaking to EU agriculture ministers in September, said that each EU member state should come up with its own rules for how to deal with the issue of co-existence.
