EU Countries Vote Against Allowing GM Maize
A majority of EU countries reportedly voted against allowing the cultivation of two genetically modified (GM) types of maize as well as the extension of approved cultivation areas for another GM maize already grown in Spain. Neither vote was decisive under EU rules, which require 65 percent of countries’ votes to decide, so the determination will go to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. See Reuters, March 27, 2017.
In an April 4, 2017, press release, members of European Parliament urged the European Commission to halt plans to allow the import of GM maize, highlighting “the lack of data on the many subcombinations of the variety—all of which would also be authorised” and arguing for reform of the GM authorization procedure.
Issue 630