Europe opens the door to GM crops

Parliament has finally given approval to the commercial growing of genetically modified (GM) crops across the continent. The vote last month backs a new directive that will end a virtual three-year moratorium on granting licenses for the commercial development of GM foods. The standstill followed concerns about the impact of the new crops on the environment. " This is a significant step in terms of habituating people to GM products, " said David Bowe, the British member of the European Parliament (MEP) who liaises between the European Parliament and the Commission on GM issues. " The moratorium is dead, " he said. Several applications from biotech companies for licenses to plant GM products for commercial use have been on hold during the moratorium. Dozens of requests to develop GM organisms are now expected from major multinational firms in the wake of the new legislation. The testing of GM crops for environmental impact has been allowed but no planting for commercial use has been permitted. This will change under the new laws. All fresh applications will be subject to approval by a majority vote in a committee made up of representatives of EU member states. However, it will be illegal under EU law for any member state to ban or stop the commercial planting of a crop cleared at a European level unless serious and justified concerns over environmental or economic impact can be demonstrated. Because of the time needed for trials, and the 'implementation period' allowed, the effect of the new laws is not likely to be felt for up to two years. A spokesperson for Britain's Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which is responsible for the current UK non-commercial GM crop trials, said the reform " put in place new safeguards rather than opening any floodgates. " There is distrust of the food industry and official regulators, following numerous scares The British environment minister, Michael Meacher, has announced the sites for the first set of trials for the coming season involving genetically modified beet, sugar beet and oilseed rape. Such openness has backfired on some occasions in the past when environmental protesters have destroyed the trial crops. But anti-GM campaigners have grave concerns. The new directive " is not enough to protect the environment, consumers and farmers from GM crops, " said Adrian Bebb of Friends of the Earth. There are concerns that the use of …