This fall the European Union allowed imports of four new
genetically modified crops (Reuters)—three types of corn and one
sugar beet. The approval came through a default legal process
that kicks in when EU environmental ministers cannot agree.
Since 2004, a number of modified foods have been allowed into
the EU market this way. But individual countries, including
Austria, Hungary, and Italy have established national bans in
defiance of EU rulings, and at least thus far EU ministers have
not stopped them. Now a bigger battle is looming, including
possible WTO sanctions if EU countries continue to block
imports. Just days after the EU’s latest crop approval, its
environment officials failed—for the third time—to agree to end
Austria’s import ban (EUObserver) on genetically modified corn.
The ban dates to the 1990s, and was deemed a trade violation in
2006 by the World Trade Organization. The European Commission,
which already twice found the corn to be safe, had until
November 21 to bring Austria in line, or ri