France Imposes Ban On GMO Corn

European Union                                                                         

France Imposes Ban On GMO Corn

Although the European Commission is looking at measures to relax EU rules on genetically modified organisms (GMO) France, the largest farming country in Europe, banned the only GMO crop grown in France last week (Jan. 11).

The French government announced that it will activate the “safeguard clause” to ban Monsanto’s corn MON 810 following a recommendation by a committee of scientists, nongovernment organizations, farmers’ organizations and politicians appointed by the government on Dec. 7.

The president of this committee, a senator from the ruling party, declared that “serious doubts” exist over whether MON 810 could be grown without risks when the committee issued its report on Jan. 9.

France will now have to provide the commission with new scientific evidence to justify the ban. A similar move by Austria, Greece and Hungary failed when the European Food Safety Authority systematically rejected their arguments, and Germany ended its ban in December after Monsanto agreed to an additional monitoring plan for the cultivation of this crop in Germany.

The government’s decision has provoked opposition from scientists, farmers and politicians, including the ministers of agriculture and the environment.

European Union                                                                         

France Imposes Ban On GMO Corn

Although the European Commission is looking at measures to relax EU rules on genetically modified organisms (GMO) France, the largest farming country in Europe, banned the only GMO crop grown in France last week (Jan. 11).

The French government announced that it will activate the “safeguard clause” to ban Monsanto’s corn MON 810 following a recommendation by a committee of scientists, nongovernment organizations, farmers’ organizations and politicians appointed by the government on Dec. 7.

The president of this committee, a senator from the ruling party, declared that “serious doubts” exist over whether MON 810 could be grown without risks when the committee issued its report on Jan. 9.

France will now have to provide the commission with new scientific evidence to justify the ban. A similar move by Austria, Greece and Hungary failed when the European Food Safety Authority systematically rejected their arguments, and Germany ended its ban in December after Monsanto agreed to an additional monitoring plan for the cultivation of this crop in Germany.

The government’s decision has provoked opposition from scientists, farmers and politicians, including the ministers of agriculture and the environment.