Austria Bans Aventis' Gene-Modified Maize 

Reuters 13apr00

Austria on Thursday banned imports of Aventis' genetically-modified maize on the grounds there were no available studies on the long-term impact the crop would have on the environment.

     ``Austria is no laboratory and it is of utmost concern that we maintain Austria as a provider of produce of the highest quality for the whole European market,'' said Elisabeth Sickl, minister in charge of food safety and inspection.

     Greenpeace welcomed the ban on French group Aventis' Zea Mays L. T25 and urged the minister to forbid all problematic genetically altered plants.

     ``This import ban can only be seen as a first step,'' Greenpeace's Susanne Fromwald said, cautioning that Europe may soon be swamped by more gene licences.

     The European Parliament on Wednesday rejected amendments to laws governing genetically modified crops, which would have introduced liability clauses on producers and measures to stop ``gene pollution.''

     Proponents of the high-tech crops say altering the genetic makeup of a crop to increase resistance to pests and disease does not pose a threat to human health nor the environment.

     But opponents say there are no long-term scientific studies to support this and that in practice, the crops are just engineered to tolerate chemicals.

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