The European Commission has authorised the marketing of a genetically modified form of sweetcorn, ending a six-year ban on new GM foods in the EU.
Announcing the decision in Brussels yesterday, the Commissioner responsible for Food Safety, Mr David Byrne, stressed that the authorisation only covered a single product and did not affect rules governing the planting of GM seeds.
"This authorisation is specifically referable to a tin of sweet corn. That's what we're talking about here," he said.
The Commission's decision to allow Syngenta, a Swiss company, to market the sweetcorn, called BT 11, came after agriculture ministers last month failed to agree on how to proceed with the authorisation. The decision means that any national move to ban the sale of the sweetcorn could meet a legal challenge from the Commission.
Mr Byrne said the decision to authorise BT 11 followed a thorough safety assessment and the words "genetically modified" would appear on the sweetcorn label. "There are those who take the view that they don't like GM technology, and of course they are perfectly entitled to their view. To them I say: 'It's now labelled. You don't have to choose it. You don't have to eat the stuff'," he said.
Critics of GM food accused the Commission of high-handedness in authorising BT 11, after elected politicians had failed to muster a qualified majority in favour of the move. Mr Byrne acknowledged that there was no qualified majority for the authorisation but said most member-states backed the move.
Syngenta said the Commission's move would have little financial impact, given popular resistance to GM foods. Mr Byrne said it was up to GM food producers to change their image.
"If they want to have any possibility of selling their food, they are going to have to identify the benefits of GM food for the consumers. Consumers are sceptical about this technology, mainly because they can't see the benefit and the industry hasn't sold the benefit," he said.
Despite yesterday's move, Mr Byrne himself was unable to think of any reason to buy the GM sweet corn.
"I don't see any benefits over and above conventional food," he said.
Yesterday's decision will help to ease tensions between the EU and its partners in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), particularly the US, which has complained about European delays in allowing GM food onto the market.
Mr Byrne said that the WTO dispute was a secondary issue but he welcomed the potential impact on trade relations. Mr Byrne said the Commission had performed its duty by providing consumers with a safe, informed choice.
"The science is right, the law is right, the procedures are right, the information to the public is right and public health is protected and not under threat in any way," he said.