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On 20 February, EU member states voted by a qualified majority to uphold a Hungarian ban on genetically modified MON 810 maize, which the European Commission had approved in 1998. Five European countries instituted such national level bans between the years 1997 and 2000.
According to a recent WTO ruling, national-level biotech bans cannot be justified as precautionary measures and are not based on an adequate risk assessment (see BRIDGES Weekly, 4 October 2006, http://www.ictsd.org/weekly/06-10-04/story2.htm). However, the EU Environment Council already voted in favour of allowing Austria to maintain its national level bans of two GM maize varieties (see Bridges Trade BioRes, 19 January 2007, http://www.ictsd.org/biores/07-01-19/inbrief.htm#4).
Following member states’ rejection of its proposal, the Commission will now need to consider alternative options for implementing the ruling, which could include judicial action or requesting the relevant countries to provide a risk assessment that complies with WTO requirements.
“EU upholds Hungary’s sovereign right to ban GMOs,” REUTERS, 20 February 2007; “Are EU GMO rules starving the poor?” EURACTIV, 23 February 2007.
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