For those understandably confused about the outcome of what proved to be a watershed meeting on genetically modified food regulation in Europe, it should best be considered a calling of "time out" by member states on the approval and marketing of GM crops. There was sufficient common ground reached at the marathon council of environment ministers meeting last week, such that a raft of new and pertinent measures are imminent. They are above all in the EU consumer's interest, and introduce a welcome degree of precaution and transparency in what had become a discredited approval system.
It may not amount to a moratorium - the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, who led the Irish delegation, is insisting it doesn't, as a ban was "not legally possible" - but the intent of one voting bloc is clear. France, Italy, Denmark, Greece and Luxembourg called for a suspension on authorisations until new rules on labelling and tracing GM products were finalised. The stance of this particular alliance is believed sufficient to ensure no new authorisations within the EU until 2002, if not beyond.
As the talks in Luxembourg went into a new day, it appeared inevitable that a form of words would be found for at least a de facto moratorium, but France scuttled this move towards a joint "political declaration". It seemed its uneasy citizens would not stomach a formula not explicitly incorporating some form of ban. The French cabinet, after all, has announced its intention to seek support from its EU partners for the suspension of sale of all new genetically altered products to allow time for further scientific testing.
Equally, the unravelling of the declaration suggests its environment minister, Ms Dominique Voynet, did not appreciate at that late hour the magnitude of what was being agreed; a possibility of a united front on the highly complex and vexatious issue of GM foods, and an end to splintered regulation which served no one well.
What was achieved, nonetheless, was neatly encapsulated by the British environment minister, Mr Michael Meacher, who knows a thing or two about the hysteria GM food is creating on his home front. Regulatory procedures had been substantially strengthened on all the main areas of contention, he said, and "no one could argue they are not tight, comprehensive and balanced". Moreover, in-built are provisions for comprehensive monitoring and traceability of genetically modified organisms, not forgetting ethical consideration of their impact.
Mr Dempsey could not vote for the final package because of his faith in a yet to be completed but flawed public consultation process (given the withdrawal of most groups with reservations about GM foods). There is, however, indication that Ireland will not block any of its main elements and, indeed, advocated many of them. He incurred the wrath of Genetic Concern, who accused him of going to Luxembourg with no consensus, though that group walked away from the process and it was delayed by attempts to keep it and other NGOs on board. In such circumstances, it is unduly melodramatic to suggest that Mr Dempsey's abstention on the vote would reinforce Ireland's image as the "environmental pariah" of Europe.