In a dramatic and unexpected move, the EU has declared its intent to introduce a moratorium on the approval of new GM food products, at least until new rules can be agreed to reassure consumers of their safety.
Environment ministers signalled the temporary ban yesterday at their meeting in Luxembourg. It is likely to delay all commercial production of GM foods in Europe, probably until 2002 at the earliest. In the meantime, risk assessment and monitoring arrangements for GM crops are to be considerably strengthened. Labelling rules will also be tightened.
"Until new rules are in place, we don't want any new products to be released," the German Environment Minister, Mr Jurgen Trittin, said. "It will be a de facto moratorium, though legally speaking, we can't call it that," he said.
The decision, which is expected to include provision for Ireland to complete a public consultation process on GM foods, was welcomed by anti-GM groups in the Republic, but they were highly critical of the position adopted by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey.
Mr Dempsey said early this morning the Council was moving towards achieving significant improvements in the directive by ensuring greater safety and transparency. He defended the Irish position, which he said had been "constructive", though his public consultation process is not yet complete. He nonetheless had opposed a proposal by the Commission for a "fast-track approval system for some GMOs". The environment council met with the aim of agreeing revised rules for approving new GMOs under directive 90-220, amid growing public concern about the safety of gene technology and against a background of continuing food scares in Europe.
The move represents a blow to biotech companies, which have been keen to gain better access to EU markets with their products. A spokesman for Monsanto in Ireland, however, stressed it would not affect its field trials here, while it did not envisage going into commercial production until 2003 anyway.
The Acting Environment Commissioner, Ms Ritt Bjerregaard, said she was confident the EU would be able to defend itself from any legal challenges.
She urged ministers to continue working towards a compromise, so consumers could be reassured that any products coming on to the market in the future were safe.
Mr Trittin said the revised authorisation law would not reach the statute books for at least 18 months. GMOs already on the market would not be affected by the moratorium.
An alliance headed by France forced the moratorium issue to the top of the agenda. It was supported initially by Denmark, Austria, Italy, Greece and Denmark, while the British suggested a voluntary moratorium.
Other countries, notably Germany agreed to draw up a "political declaration" incorporating the French demands.
A parallel group was established to review the legal implications amid strong indications that the Amsterdam Treaty would allow for such a radical move.
Genetic Concern expressed delight with what it called an EU-wide moratorium but reserved strong criticism for Mr Dempsey, accusing him of going to a watershed meeting "with no opinions, no consensus and no proposals".
Its spokeswoman, Ms Sadhbh O'Neill, added: "From where we are sitting, the concerns of the Irish people were better represented by every single EU government other than our own."
According to Ms O'Neill, it was to the shame of Fianna Fail and Mr Dempsey that despite promising a moratorium in 1997, Ireland was one of just two members to have pushed strongly for putting off a common position. "The other state, France, is doing so for entirely different reasons, following their decision this week to suspend sales of GM crops."
She noted, however, that existing GM varieties of maize and soya were already in foods and unlabelled in most cases. "The next step will be to include existing crops until proper scientific assessments are carried out."
Green party TD Mr John Gormley welcomed the moratorium "as far as it goes" but hoped it would be extended to include field trials.
