EU considers ban on US rice imports[fr][de] 

The Commission was informed on 18 August 2006 by US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns that traces of non-authorised genetically modified rice had been detected in samples of commercial long-grain rice from the US. 

The source of the contamination appears to be an experimental GM rice called LLRICE601, produced by the German-based biotech company Bayer. US authorities claim that these traces do not pose any safety concerns for human or animal health or for the environment. 

The Commission will wait for more information before deciding whether to ban imports from the US. EU spokeswoman Antonia Mochan said: "We are in contact with the US and are meeting with company representatives...we are urgently requesting more information. I have not been informed of any trade measures being taken. But we are taking this very seriously."

Environment group Friends of the Earth said: “The biotech industry has failed once again to control its experiments and lax regulations in the US have allowed consumers worldwide to be put at risk.” It also urged the EU to “immediately suspend US rice imports”. 

The EU is the second largest importer of US rice, importing around 300,000 tonnes each year. Japan, the US’ biggest rice customer, has already suspended imports of all US long-grain rice. 

The contamination echoes a similar scare in April 2005, when the EU stopped imports of US maize contaminated with an unauthorised GM strain made by Syngenta (see EurActiv 15 April 2005). The ban is still in place.