Commission orders Greece to lift its national ban on GM maize

The Commission has decided that the Greek national ban of MON810 maize is not properly justified and has therefore ordered Greece to lift the ban.

Following a human and environmental safety assessment in 2004, the Commission added genetically modified (GM) MON810 maize to the common EU catalogue of agricultural plant species. However, in April 2005, the Greek authorities referred to the national safeguard clause concerning risk for the environment or for human health in the Directive on the common catalogue and banned the marketing of all MON810 varieties in Greece.

As the Council failed to agree on the Commission proposal not to authorise the Greek ban, the Commission decided, on 10 January 2006, to order the ban to be lifted. According to the Commission, the Greek authorities have not duly justified it. If Greece fails to act, it may be taken to the European Court of Justice.

According to Greenpeace, Monsanto, the manufacturer of the MON810 maize varieties, has not provided the Commission with an adequate plan to monitor the general environmental impact of MON810. 

Poland and Hungary also have national bans on MON810.

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