Save Out Seeds Nachricht
18.12.2006 | permalink
EU commission loses vote on Austrian GMO ban
The European Commission lost for the second time a pivotal vote in the Council of Ministers on its GMO approvals. A qualified (two third) majority rejected its demand to waive an Austrian ban on Monsantos GM maize "Mon810". In fact all member states except the UK, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Netherlands voted against the proposal. Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace welcomed the decision. As a WTO panel had recently ruled that the Austrian ban was actually illegal, the member states decision is also a clear comment on the EU Commission's decision not to appeal this verdict.
- Reuters: EU upholds Austria's sovereign right to ban GMOs
- Law.com, USA: EU rejects appeal on biotech crops
- Friends of the Earth Europe, Belgium: EU votes to defy WTO ruling on GM foods
- Greenpeace European Unit, Belgium: Briefing - Vote on Austrian GMO bans at EU Environment Council, 18 December 2006
- Friends of the Earth Europe, Belgium: Ministers vote on GMO bans