EU allows in new flood of GM food

European laws to be introduced this week will open Britain to a fresh wave of controversial genetically modified crops and foods.

A new directive, which has been backed by the Government, will end a three-year de facto moratorium on granting licences for the commercial development of GM foods. The standstill was imposed by major European nations following concerns about the impact of the new crops on health and the environment.

'The moratorium is dead,' said David Bowe, the British MEP who liaises between the European Parliament and the Commission on GM issues. He welcomed the new legislation last week.

'This is a significant step in terms of habituating people to GM products. There will soon be more GM foods in our shops but they will be safe. There is nothing here that will kill the world.'

But anti-GM campaigners have grave concerns.

'The [new directive] is not enough to protect the environment, consumers and farmers from GM crops,' said Adrian Bebb of Friends of the Earth.

'The British government is ignoring the wishes of the vast bulk of British consumers. The public have made it very clear that they are unhappy about eating GM foods and about GM crops growing in the countryside.'

Fourteen applications from biotech companies for licences to plant GM products for commercial use have been on hold during the moratorium. Dozens of requests to develop GM organisms are now expected from major multinational firms in the wake of the new legislation. The testing of GM crops for environmental impact has been allowed - there will be 96 such trials in the UK this year - but no planting for commercial use has been permitted. This will be changed by the new laws.

All fresh applications will be subject to approval by a majority vote in a committee made up of representatives of EU member states. They will have to pass the requirements of the directive.

'The regulations are so strict that some natural foods wouldn't pass them,' said Bowe.

However from this week it will be illegal under EU law for Britain to ban or stop the commercial planting of a crop cleared at a European level unless serious and justified concerns over environmental or economic impact can be demonstrated. Because of the time needed for trials, and the 'implementation period' allowed, the effect of the new laws is not likely to be felt for up to two years.

GM products which have commercial licences pending include tomatoes with extra-thick skins that make them less likely to bruise during transport and harvesting. Pressure from the public has previously forced supermarkets to withdraw paste made from the modified tomatoes.

The long-term effects of GM foods are not yet known. Campaigners now fear that supermarkets will be encouraged to 'have another go' at accustoming the British consumer to GM food. The Government has supported the new laws.

A spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which is responsible for the current UK non-commercial GM crop trials, said the reform 'put in place new safeguards rather than opening any floodgates.'

However there are clear signs that British consumer is not yet happy to accept the new foods. Last month supermarket chains Tesco and Asda announced they would no longer sell the meat or milk of any animal fed with genetically modified soya or maize.

The two companies, which between them control 42 per cent of the grocery market, said they will switch their imports from North America to Brazil where commercial GM plantings are illegal. Iceland, Marks & Spencer, McDonald's and Burger King have already acted to remove GM in animal products.

Tony Blair appeared to be an early supporter of GM foods, hoping that Britain could be a world leader in biotechnology if 'the tyranny of pressure groups' was resisted. However, recently he was more cautious: 'There's no doubt that there is potential for harm both in terms of human safety and in the diversity of our environment from GM foods or crops.'

The new laws face strong opposition from other European nations and could lead to a major row. The French have said that they will try to block all new licences for commercial growing of GM crops. They say that the question of the legal liability of biotech companies for any damage done by the new crops has not been satisfactorily resolved and are concerned about 'traceability' - provisions to ensure that consumers know what they are eating. Italy, Greece and Luxembourg are likely to back the French position.