France extends GM corn ban

on january 11, France decided to extend its October 2007 ban on a variety of gm maize. It decided to activate a European Union guideline that prohibits the cultivation of gm corn. The variety, Mon 810, developed by food multinational Monsanto, is the only gm crop that France is growing.

The decision came after France's Provisional High Authority on gm Organisms, which comprises scientists, farmers, politicians and ngos, raised concerns on the safety of the gm corp. French authorities said a team of experts and farmers will study the impacts of the gm product.

But France may find it difficult to sustain the ban since eu will have to face wto sanctions if it refuses to end restrictions on gm imports. In November 2005, a wto panel found that some European countries were breaking international trade rules on gm food import