Timeline lengthens for GM approvals

OXFORD - After more than 20 hours of talks, the European Council of Environment Ministers last Friday agreed to tighten the rules on genetically modified crops. Although they did turn down calls from France and Greece for a moratorium on GM crop approvals, the agreement effectively will halt all new approvals until a new licensing law is in place, probably not before 2002.

No GM crops have been approved in the EU since April 1998...