Parliament split over rules for GM crops

Date: 06/01/2000

By Simon Coss

MEPS remain undecided over whether to accept the latest version of planned new licensing rules for plants and crops containing genetically modified organisms.

Later this month, the European Parliament's environment committee will have its first formal chance to examine the proposed changes to the 1990 directive (90/220) on GMO approvals agreed by EU environment ministers last June. But in the run-up to the meeting, committee members are unsure about what approach to take.

Many members of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) group have expressed concern that in its present form, the new legislation would be overly harsh on Europe's biotechnology industry.

Several have indicated that they might call for the agreement reached by ministers to be amended. If this approach was supported by the full Parliament, it would almost certainly spark a round of lengthy conciliation talks between MEPs and EU governments to try to reach a compromise on the proposals.

But those same critics acknowledge that prolonging the debate over 90/220 would also mean continued uncertainty for the very sector they are trying to protect. This is because environment ministers agreed last June that they would not allow any new strains of GM crops or seeds to be sold in the Union until the directive's fate had been decided.

"We are not really happy with the common position and we are currently considering the idea of proposing amendments, but we are also concerned about ending the quasi moratorium that is in place at the moment," explained German EPP member Peter Liese, the group's rapporteur on GMO issues.

Liese added that the EPP would only consider pushing for the current text to be changed if it felt it could muster enough support to win the support of the full Parliament. Although the EPP is now the largest single group in the assembly, it is far from certain that it could rally enough MEPs to the cause.

The Socialist Group, the assembly's second biggest party, is likely to vote in favour of the agreement reached by a majority of Socialist ministers last summer. The Parliament's rapporteur on the proposals, British Labour MEP David Bowe, has already said he believes the common position is basically a "good text".

The balance of power is likely to lie with the Parliament's smaller groups, notably the Greens and Liberals. Both are opposed to 'softening' the common position, but will have to decide whether delaying the adoption of '90/220 Mark II' - and prolonging the moratorium - is preferable to accepting the deal.

MEPs remain undecided over whether to accept the latest version of planned new licensing rules for plants and crops containing genetically modified organisms.