BULGARIA SUPPORTS FASTER APPROVAL PROCESS FOR

UNCLAS SOFIA 000476 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR USTR FOR USDA/FAS FOR EEB/TPP/ABT FOR EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN TBIO BU SUBJECT: BULGARIA SUPPORTS FASTER APPROVAL PROCESS FOR BIOTECH EVENTS REF: SECSTATE 86566 ¶1. (SBU) Embassy officials delivered reftel biotech points to new Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Miroslav Naydenov who is fully up to speed on the issue and will attend the September 7 EU Agriculture Ministers Council meeting. Naydenov told us August 21 that Bulgaria will join the member states that support a faster approval process in the EU for biotech events about which the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) already has a positive opinion. Regarding the case concerning the detained U.S. soy cargoes, this would mean a faster decision process since the corn dust found in the cargoes is from corn the EFSA has already evaluated positively. ¶2. (SBU) Naydenov also told us that one of the new administration's priorities is to establish a Food Safety Agency that will fall under the cabinet's authority as in other EU countries. Naydenov will likely maintain a balanced position on biotech in deference to EFSA, although as a veterinarian he understands the importance of these issues to the livestock industry and acknowledges how restrictive and damaging EU biotech rules are for livestock farmers. ORDWAY