The European Union may remove a five-year ban on most genetically modified (GM) food by the end of the year, a move that could help stop a US-led trade suit, Italy's farm minister said today.
Rules passed by the European Parliament last week to label all GM food sold in the EU were enough to start authorising imports now, Mr Giovanni Alemanno said.
It would take a few more months for rules on farming GM crops in Europe, he said.
"The moratoriums will be lifted as the regulations are approved," he told reporters after briefing Parliament's environment committee on Italy's priorities for its six-month stint as president of the 15-country EU.
"As soon as the regulations are approved on food we can lift the moratorium on food. When regulations on agricultural coexistence are approved, we can lift the moratorium on seeds."
When asked if new authorisations to sell GM products in the EU could be granted before the end of the year, he said: "Yes".
"We must act quickly, we cannot continue to wait. It is a weak position as regards our international relations."
United States, Canada and Argentina are taking the EU to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for refusing their GMO exports, which US farmers say costs them $300 million a year. Italy was one of the original members of a group of EU states that in 1999 said they would refuse EU permits for any new GM products pending new regulations on safety testing, labelling, and product tracing, all of which are now approved in principle.
Only a handful of GM crops are allowed to be imported or grown in the EU as the bloc has not granted any permits since 1998.