N.B. JANUARY 2004 - European Commission approves [Syngenta's] Bt-11 maize proposal, giving EU ministers three months to consider the  issue and reach a final decision.
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Chronology of EU's ban on gene crops and foods
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L28263589.htm
Reuters, 28 Jan 2004

BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Following is a short history  of the European Union's unofficial five-year moratorium on  authorising new genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a policy  that has been challenged in the World Trade Organisation.

The EU has not allowed the experimental or commercial  growth of any new gene crops since October 1998, or the imports  of new GM-based food products. Before this time, 18 GM plant  varieties were approved, including maize, rapeseed, chicory and  soybeans.

EU'S MORATORIUM ON GMOs:

APRIL 1998 - EU's last approvals of new GM food products.  

OCTOBER 1998 - EU authorises two biotech carnation  varieties (to improve vase life and modify flower colour), the  last live GM plants to win EU approval. The United States sees  this as the point where the EU closes its doors to new GMOs --  at this time, 18 GMOs are authorised for commercial release in  the bloc.

JUNE 1999 - France and Greece lead calls for de facto  moratorium on new GMO approval at meeting of EU environment  ministers and win backing from Italy, Denmark and Luxembourg.

They are later joined by Belgium and Austria, forming a  minority of EU states that can block any vote on a new  approval.

JANUARY 2000 - European Commission adopts regulation that  additives and flavourings have to be labelled if DNA or protein  of GMO origin is present in the final product.

JUNE 2000 - French Environment Minister Dominique Voynet  insists on the need for a liability scheme for biotech  products.

JULY 2000 - EU environment ministers say they will support  the moratorium at least until proposals are presented for  labelling and tracing GMO content in biotech products.

JULY 2001 - European Commission presents labelling and  traceability proposals.

OCTOBER 2002 - Updated "deliberate release" directive  enters into force, regulating the release of live GMOs into the  environment. This repeals previous legislation dating from  1991.

The updated directive sets down a step-by-step approvals  process for GMOs or products containing GMOs, and tightens  controls on traceability and labelling.

MAY 2003 - United States announces its intention to file a  complaint against the EU's unofficial ban on GMOs at the World  Trade Organisation.

JULY 2003 - EU adopts strict rules on labelling and tracing  all GM food and feed which will apply in member states by  mid-April 2004 at the latest. The labelling threshold for GMO  content in non-GM food is set at 0.9 percent.

JULY 2003 - European Commission issues guidelines on how to  grow and separate GM crops in Europe's fields to minimise the  spread of GMOs to organic and conventional crop cultivation.

AUGUST 2003 - United States, Canada and Argentina challenge  the EU over its de facto moratorium on GMOs at the WTO, arguing  that the ban is illegal and without any scientific foundation.

SEPTEMBER 2003 - European Commission rejects a request by  the regional government of Upper Austria to ban the cultivation  of GM crops and create a GMO-free zone.

OCTOBER 2003 - European Commission delays debate on its  proposed seed purity rules setting GMO content in conventional  and organic seeds after EU states demand stricter safety  checks.

The proposed thresholds range from 0.3 to 0.7 percent. A  vote is now expected for early 2004.

NOVEMBER 2003 - Government of Upper Austria says it will  challenge Commission's ruling on its proposed GMO-free zone at  the Court of First Instance -- the EU's second highest court.

NOVEMBER 2003 - EU committee fails to agree on proposal to  authorise imports of Bt-11 maize, a GM sweetcorn food product  whose seeds are made by Swiss agrochemicals giant Syngenta.

JANUARY 2004 - European Commission approves Bt-11 maize  proposal, giving EU ministers three months to consider the  issue and reach a final decision.

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