Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 9/9/2004

**GAIN Report Number:** E34057

E34057

**EU-25**

**Biotechnology**

**Mon 810 Biotech Corn Enters EU Common Catalogue of Seed Varieties**

**2004**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Norval Francis

U.S. Mission to the EU

**Prepared by:**

Stan Cohen

**Report Highlights:**

On September 8, the EU Commission approved the inscription of 17
varieties of Monsanto's biotech corn (MON 810) into the EU common
catalogue for seeds. Seed of varieties in the common catalogue can be
marketed in the entire EU, whereas those in the national catalogues can
only be marketed in the country concerned. The inscription of the MON
810 varieties will be the first time biotech varieties will be inscribed
in the common catalogue. Farmers throughout the EU-25 will now be able
to buy and produce the MON 810 varieties.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Brussels USEU \[BE2\]

\[E3\]

On September 8, the EU Commission approved the inscription of 17
varieties of Monsanto's biotech corn (MON 810) into the EU common
catalogue for seeds. Seed of varieties in the common catalogue can be
marketed in the entire EU, whereas those in the national catalogues can
only be marketed in the country concerned. The inscription of the MON
810 varieties will be the first time biotech varieties will be inscribed
in the common catalogue.

Mon 810 corn has been approved in the EU since 1998. 17 varieties of
corn derived from MON 810 are inscribed in national catalogues: 6 in
France and 11 in Spain. Typically, seeds entering the national catalogue
are immediately entered into the EU common catalogue. However, a number
of member states attempted to block this procedure, insisting that the
Commission first develop labeling legislation for biotech seeds
establishing maximum thresholds for the adventitious presence (AP) of
biotech seed commingled with conventional and organic seed.

Yesterday the College of Commissioners had also intended to discuss a
seed labeling proposal, but this item was removed from the agenda due to
continued disagreements among the different directorate generals (DG).
DG Environment and DG Agriculture continue to press for a maximum AP of
0.3 percent for corn whereas DG Health and Consumer Protection
reportedly favors 0.5 percent. The Commission will now wait for the
results of a study to determine the economic impact of different
thresholds on farmers and seed producers before taking any further
action. This means that the proposal will likely not be taken up again
until the new Commission convenes on November 1, 2004.

For further information, please see the link below.

<http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/04/1083&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>

**Visit our website:** our website
**[www.useu.be/agri/usda.html]{.underline}** provides a broad range of
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**Related reports from USEU Brussels:**

  ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ ------------------
  **Report Number**                                            **Title**                            **Date Released**

  E34009                                                       Update on the EU's Biotech Approval  5/6/04
                                                               Process                              

  E24069                                                       Antibiotic Resistance Marker Genes   4/21/04

  E24045                                                       Safe as Conventional Rapeseed        4/4/04

  E23234                                                       Bt11 Sweet Corn                      12/9/03

  E23233                                                       Safe as Conventional Corn            12/8/03

  E23231                                                       European Food Safety Authority       12/8/03

  E23170                                                       Austria's Request for Ban on Use of  9/8/03
                                                               GMOs Denied                          

  These reports can be accessed through our website                                                 
  [www.useu.be/agri](http://www.useu.be/agri) or through the                                        
  FAS website                                                                                       
  <http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/default.asp>.                                        
  ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ ------------------

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