MEMO/07/67

Brussels, 19 February 2007

Preparation Environment Council, 20 February 2007

The first Environment Council under the German EU presidency will take place on 20 February in Brussels. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will represent the European Commission. Climate change-related issues will be one of the meeting's main focuses. The Council is expected to adopt a statement ('conclusions') setting out the essential elements of a future global climate agreement that would take effect when the Kyoto Protocol targets expire in 2012. There will also be policy debates on the Commission's proposal to include aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from 2011 and on its recent review of the EU strategy to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars. The Environment Council will also adopt a set of conclusions as input to the Spring European Council next month. Genetically modified organisms will be a second major focus of the meeting, with votes scheduled on Commission proposals to authorise the import and marketing of a genetically modified carnation and to oblige Hungary to lift its ban on the marketing of a type of genetically modified maize. The Council is expected to adopt conclusions on the sustainable use of pesticides and will hold a policy debate on the Commission's thematic strategy and proposed directive on soil protection. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs will present an analysis of the relations between energy and climate change during lunch. German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Commissioner Dimas will hold a press conference at the end of the meeting.

Genetically modified organisms (votes)

The Council is due to vote on two proposals from the Commission.

One proposal requires the lifting of a ban (so-called national safeguard clause) imposed by Hungary on MON810 GM maize. In June 2005, the Council voted by qualified majority against a proposal requesting Austria to repeal its safeguard clause on the same product. Before taking any action on the corresponding safeguard clause notified by Hungary, the Commission decided to await the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In March 2006, EFSA confirmed that there is no reason to believe that the continued placing on the market of MON810 maize is likely to cause any adverse effects for human and animal health or the environment under the conditions of its consent. The Commission therefore prepared a draft Decision asking Hungary to repeal its measures concerning MON810.

The other proposal involves the authorisation for the placing of a carnation, genetically modified for flower colour, on the European market for import and retailing. In June 2006, EFSA concluded that cut flowers of the genetically modified carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) are unlikely to have an adverse effect on human and animal health or the environment in the context of its proposed ornamental use.

By Nick Thorpe BBC News, Budapest

The EU grows less than 1% of the world's GM crops

Hungary's parliament has overwhelmingly backed legislation which severely restricts the planting of genetically modified crops (GMOs).

The Act came despite a plea from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for more liberal legislation.

Under the law, a buffer zone 400m (1,320ft) wide will have to exist between any GMOs and adjacent fields.

The written agreement of all landowners within that buffer zone will also be needed for planting to go ahead.

Farmers, environmentalists and scientists who oppose the introduction of GMOs worked closely with parliamentary deputies from both the governing and opposition parties on this legislation.

Critics of the legislation - led by biotech firms, some farmers and a vocal group of scientists in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences - say such stringent conditions will make it almost impossible to plant GMOs in Hungary.

Hungary, like Austria, Greece and Poland, already has a moratorium in place against one particular genetically-modified organism which is permitted elsewhere in the European Union.

The Act is seen as a way of pre-empting expected pressure from the European Commission to end that moratorium.

Hungary is the second-largest exporter of maize seed in the EU, second only to France.

Supporters of the legislation argued that the strong position of Hungarian grain on the European market was partly due to its label as a GMO-free product.

Genetically modified crops have been grown in the US for years

The US has urged the European Union to speed up its process for approving new genetically modified (GM) products.

The call came after the World Trade Organisation publicly released its ruling that the EU acted illegally in banning GM imports from 1999 to 2004.

The case was instigated by the US, Canada and Argentina who were critical of an EU moratorium on GM food crops.

EU officials said the ruling had little impact because the moratorium had already been lifted.

'Partial moratorium'

Since the case was first brought to the WTO in 2003, the EU has given decisions on 10 GM product applications and is reviewing more than 30 others.

"This confirms that the EU system for GM approval authorisation has functioned in strict application of the law," said Peter Power, spokesman for the EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

GM crops have drawn protests in France and around the EU

However, US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said the EU was still operating a partial moratorium on GM imports, based on political rather than scientific criteria.

"Although the EU approved a handful of biotech applications following the initiation of the case in 2003, the EU has yet to lift the moratorium in its entirety," Ms Schwab said in a statement.

"Some biotech product applications have been pending for 10 years or more and applications for many commercially important products continue to face unjustified, politically motivated delays."

The WTO also challenged six EU members - Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Luxembourg - for independently banning GM crops that had already been approved by the EU.

Rice scare

The 1,000-page WTO ruling confirmed a preliminary verdict that was issued in February, and was released to the countries involved in the dispute in May.

It did not address the issue of whether GM crops were safe or if they could be compared to naturally occurring products.

Crops including corn or soybeans that have been genetically modified to resist insects or disease have been widely grown in the US for years.

In August the EU introduced emergency measures to ban imports of US rice that had been contaminated with an unauthorised genetically modified variety.

The GM variety was later found in packets of own-brand rice sold by a UK supermarket.