FINLAND SUPPORTS APPROVAL OF BIOTECH CORN

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000332 TO USTR, THE HAGUE FOR SHUETE, DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/ABT AND EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO EAGR FI SUBJECT: FINLAND SUPPORTS APPROVAL OF BIOTECH CORN REF: STATE 86566 ¶1. Econoff delivered reftel points to Matti Aho Director General for the Department of Food and Health at the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture. Aho noted that Finland had received no imports of US soy products containing dust from biotech corn MON88017, and therefore had no reports of voluntary suspensions of US soy imports. ¶2. Aho added that this issue might be discussed at the September 7 European Union (EU) Agricultural Council meeting, but any vote to approve or deny the use of MON88017 in the EU would take place at a later date. When the Council eventually votes on MON88017, Aho predicted that there would be no clear majority and that the issue would return to the European Commission for review. ¶3. Aho acknowledged the importance of this issue to US agricultural interests. Finland supports approval of MON88017 and has asked the EC to draft new legislation to allow small quantities (maximum .1%) of non-approved biotech products to be imported as long as the products have been positively assessed by the European Food and Safety Authority. ORECK