BBC News
Europe is
grappling with its policy over genetic engineering - with a debate
in parliament and a court case looking set to expose divisions
over how to tackle the explosive issue.
In parliament,
members will discuss a deal which would clear the way for new
varieties of GM crops to be licensed by the EU - ending a three-year
de facto ban.
And in court,
14 judges will be asked by the Netherlands to throw out European
rules on patenting GM crops and animals.
Genetic engineering
has divided Europe's governments and sparked protests in a number
of countries, including the sabotaging of trials.
The possible
change of rules on crops, to be debated by European members of
parliament in Strasbourg, has been thrashed out in painstaking
negotiations over many months.
The new deal
would allow licences to be granted, but only if firms provided
a risk assessment and carried out continuous monitoring of any
possible dangers. Permission would lapse after a certain period.
If the parliament
gives its backing, the new rules will still have to be formally
adopted by the Council of Ministers.
Policy
'mess'
France is
believed to be leading a rearguard action of five nations who
want the deal blocked and the ban to continue.
More than
a dozen licences had been granted before the moratorium came into
effect, including four from the biotech giant Monsanto.
A wave of
new applications is expected from Monsanto and others if the deal
goes through.
Consumer protection
commissioner David Byrne has said the new regulations are designed
to get the EU out of a "mess" over its current policy.
For the past
three years, new varieties of GM crops have been subject to the
de facto ban because of safety fears and public resistance to
eating GM foods.
But pressure
has continued from the United States and the big biotechnology
firms, who want a clear system of regulation.
A vote is
expected on Wednesday.
Court battle
In the Court
of Justice in Luxembourg, meanwhile, the Dutch Government is leading
the legal challenge to GM patenting - backed by Italy and Norway.
The case centres
on the most recent European Commission directive on patenting,
which set out rules for advances relating to human, plant and
animal genes.
The 15 EU
members are now supposed to ensure the protection of such biotech
inventions under their own national laws.
But the three
governments object to being asked to protect inventions to which
they are strongly opposed and have taken the matter to court.
A decision is not expected for several months.
Environmentalists
say GM crops could spawn "superweeds" and damage human
health. Their arguments have not been scientifically proven, but
neither has the opposite claim that GM crops are safe.
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