Roche to resist move to lift national GMO bans

Moves by the European Commission to lift national bans on the licensing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be blocked by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche and environment ministers from Austria, Germany and Luxembourg.

The commission's attempt to lift bans on the licensing of a maize product known as BT176 requires the approval of the Council of Ministers which meets in Luxembourg tomorrow.

Five member states in the EU have imposed a total of eight bans on specific GMOs.

In the past Ireland has consistently supported commission moves to license GMOs. But in a significant policy change Mr Roche said he would intervene strongly on the side of governments which had imposed the bans when the subject is discussed by the EU environment ministers.

Ireland will not advocate a blanket ban on GMOs, however, and in a second proposal that the council authorise a new genetically modified maize - MON863, - Mr Roche will abstain.

Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment yesterday he confirmed the change but told Green Party spokesman Ciarán Cuffe his attitude was based on the right of national governments to legislate for themselves. Direction by Brussels was he said "exactly the type of action by the commission which stokes up public disillusionment with the EU project as a whole.

In future, Ireland's attitude would be that each application for GMO authorisation should be addressed on its merits.