Bt corn clears EC hurdles

European regulatory officials finally gave the green light to Ciba-Geigy's Maximizer genetically modified corn after two years of negotiation with the company.

The U.S., Canada and Japan approved Maximizer earlier this year, but the EC several times delayed a decision. Objections raised by environmental, consumer and retail trade associations may have played a role in the delays. But in the end, Ciba received a unanimously favorable vote by three scientific panels of the EC that had debated the application separately since early this summer...