Time running out to resolve maize dispute

Date: 03/10/1996

By Michael Mann

THE EU is fast running out of time in its efforts to solve the latest controversy over the use of biotechnological advances in the production of food.

As tension between the Union and the US over the use of genetically-modified maize rises, it has emerged that three expert committees which were asked to look into the health aspects of the product and report back by the end of August are unlikely to complete their work before December.

Ministers will be briefed on what little progress has been made when they assemble in Luxembourg on 15 October.

Meanwhile, Washington officials are hinting at serious implications for transatlantic trade unless the seed, developed by pharmaceutical giant Ciba-Geigy and already in use in the US, receives EU clearance in the next few weeks.

In July, Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard asked food, animal health and pesticide specialists from the member states to investigate whether the use of the seed posed any risk to human health.

This followed concern in a number of countries, led by Austria, that the use of antibiotics in genetic manipulation could cause drug resistance in humans.

Commission officials claim the recent blockage of funding to key EU advisory committees by the European Parliament has delayed progress and say a preliminary report is not expected until later this month, with definitive findings unlikely to be ready before December.

Washington is, however, due to begin maize exports to the Union in November. The crop currently being harvested in the US does include a significant quantity of the genetically-modified seed, even though this is only a small proportion of the total seed used. Without EU clearance of the product, such imports would be illegal.

But US officials maintain the modified seed is absolutely indistinguishable from traditional maize and the two will inevitably become mixed once harvested.

Austria, the Nordic states and a number of environmental groups will resist any attempt to allow the trade if there is a danger that this will let what they regard as a potentially hazardous product into the Union.

“If it comes to it, the Americans will have to keep the two types of seed apart and the member states will have to ensure that what they import is bona fide non-modified seed,” said a Commission official.

In Washington, there is increasing exasperation that Europe seems to be casting doubt on a product which has already been approved by the US, Canada and Japan.

“We thought we were looking at the same science, and all this should have been sorted out a long time ago,” commented a US official.

The renewed threat of a transatlantic trade war follows a similar problem last year over a genetically-modified soya bean, which was finally approved after Bjerregaard abandoned her demand that all genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) should be labelled.

Environmentalists are trying to encourage processors and retailers to shun the first imports of modified soya, due on the European market next month.

Last week EuroCommerce, which represents the wholesale and retail sector in 20 European countries, warned that US farmers were in danger of losing their EU markets. “People might have the tendency to look for other products which do not contain soya,” warned EuroCommerce's Heinrich Kröner.

The EU's regulatory 'Article 21' committee is currently assessing two more licence applications for modified soya beans. Officials say the way the applications are looked at is bound to be influenced by the current controversy over maize. In addition, Directorate-General XI (environment) is reviewing the EU's GMO approval procedure.