Austria has decided to block the marketing of Ciba-Geigy’s genetically- modified maize seed for three months…

Date: 09/01/1997

...under the so-called 'Article 16' procedure of the licensing regulation which gives a member state three months to produce evidence that a biotech-nology product gives cause for health or environmental concerns. If it cannot convince its EU partners, Austria will have to accept the product once the review period is over. The Commission approved the controversial seed at its last meeting of 1996.