Food Frustration

OXFORD - Frustration among European industrialists and North Americans is mounting as the European Commission again postponed its decision on controversial plans to update the 90/220 directive, the rules for approving the marketing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The Commission is keen to revise the rules, which were approved seven years ago, to take account of the best practice.

However, internal divisions within the Commission seem to have prevented it from unveiling a proposal that has unquestioning support. The main protagonists, it appears, are the Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard in one corner, and Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann and Trade Commissioner Leon Brittan in the other. While Brittan and Bangemann would like to see the Commission streamline the regulations, Bjerregaard wants to use the process to add extra safeguards...