VOTE IN DECEMBER 8 COMMITTEE ON THE FOOD CHAIN DECISION

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 003141

SIPDIS

SECSTATE WASHDC FOR EB/TTP/ABT-D.MALAC, EUR/ERA-HAWLEY-
YOUNG/SAARNIO
USDA/FAS FOR BIOTECH GROUP

REF.: SECSTATE 337475

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD TBIO NL
SUBJECT: VOTE IN DECEMBER 8 COMMITTEE ON THE FOOD CHAIN DECISION
ON BT-11 SWEET CORN


1. In response to request in reftel, Post has followed up with
Dutch officials on the BT-11 sweet corn vote in the EU Committee
on the Food Chain.


2. According to our contacts, the Netherlands voted in favor of
the Syngenta application for two reasons: it had received a
favorable review from the European Food Safety Authority and The
Netherlands is opposed to the moratorium on biotech approvals.
The member states voting against the approval did so mainly
because they want to wait until the new biotech legislation has
been implemented in April 2004. A Dutch Ministry of Agriculture
official told us The Netherlands doesn't agree that it is
necessary to wait for implementation of the legislation next year.


3. One Dutch official told us that even though the new EFSA
decided this specific GM product is safe, some national food
safety authorities found this was not the case. The reasoning of
these countries is that it should not be established that a GM
product is not unsafe, but rather that there is evidence to
conclude it is safe. SOBEL