Europe has failed to reach a decision on whether France and Greece should be ordered to lift their national bans on cultivation of a genetically modified maize (corn) known as MON801, the only GM crop so far approved for use at the European level. The failure of France, Greece, Austria and Hungary to adhere to European Union (EU) legislation threatens a political crisis in the EU, which is under pressure from the World Trade Organization to live up to its laws in this matter. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Parma, Italy, which is responsible for scientific risk assessments on GM crops in Europe, has reported that there is no case against MON801, which has been modified to be resistant to insects. But on 16 February, a committee of experts appointed by each of the 27 EU countries was unable to muster the 'qualified majority'-one that represents 62% or more of the Union's population - needed to decide whether to lift the bans. The result echoes a similar impasse last December, when the committee failed to reach the qualified majority needed to order Austria and Hungary to lift their bans on the crop.
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