GOF WILL NOT BAN MON 810 BIOTECH CORN

UNCLAS PARIS 002617 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/WE, EUR/PPD, IIP AND ECA; EEB/TPP/ABT(SPIRNAK); STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY; USDA/OS/JOHANNS/TERPSTRA; USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST; OCRA/CURTIS STA/SIMMONS/JONES/HENNEY FAA/YOUNG; EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU FR SUBJECT: GOF WILL NOT BAN MON 810 BIOTECH CORN ¶1. (U) On June 14, the French Biomolecular Committee (the competent authority for reviewing biotech products) stated that in much as there was no new adverse information calling into question the environmental assessment of MON 810, the French Ministers of Ecology and Agriculture found that no moratorium will be imposed on the cultivation and harvest of MON 810 corn this year. ¶2. (SBU) French anti-biotech organizations had called for a moratorium on all the MON 810 corn planted this year in France on some 25,000 hectares. We understand that the Prime Minister's office intervened to mediate between the Ministries of Agriculture and Ecology. It is interesting to note that this outcome stands in opposition to German, Austrian and Hungarian decisions to apply moratoriums on MON 810. STAPLETON