February 10, 2011
EU committee postpones vote on trace GM in feed
An EU committee failed to arrive at a decision on Wednesday (Feb 9), on a proposal to consent to small traces of unapproved genetically modified (GM) substances in animal feed imports, according to EU sources.
After two days of talks in Brussels, opposition to the plan from a number of EU states, including France, meant that the committee could not reach the qualified majority in favour needed under the bloc's weighted voting rules, a source close to the meeting said.
Rather than abandon the proposal, discussion among EU governments will continue at a future meeting, an EU diplomat on the committee said.
Another source said the talks could resume as early as February 22.
The proposed 0.1% threshold is designed to avoid a repeat of supply disruptions in 2009, when US soy shipments to Europe were blocked after unapproved GM substances was found in some cargoes.