EU Fails to Approve Pioneer/Dow and Monsanto Corn Varieties

Once again the European Union countries were unable to agree on two separate requests to import biotech corn, Reuters reports.

Since the national experts from each of the 25 EU states were deadlocked over a new genetically modified authorization, by default the decision will be made by EU ministers who have three months to decide whether to permit imports or not.

The first biotech event, known by its code 1507, is made by Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Dow AgroSciences' Mycogen Seeds. The approval would be for import and processing for animal feed, not human consumption.

"EU sources said environment experts from Belgium, Britain, Estonia, Finland, France, Sweden, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands voted in favor of the insect-resistant maize. Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Poland were against. The rest abstained," Reuters reports.

Monsanto's MON 863 maize, a variety resistant to corn rootworm, was also trying to receive EU approval. The request was for import of the corn for use as an ingredient in processed foods and derived food products.

"The voting breakdown for Monsanto's maize was different: Belgium, Britain, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands were in favor. Austria, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal were opposed; Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and Spain abstained. Cyprus was absent," Reuters reports.