Germany’s agriculture minister urged the European Union on Monday to suspend its approval procedure for new biotech crops and seeds, demanding governments undertake a wide-scale review of how genetically modified products can be used in Europe. ”This (system) should be stopped and we should check: can the procedures stay as they are,” Horst Seehofer said before EU farm ministers talks. He said that the current system, which has been criticized by several EU nations, is ”highly unsatisfactory.”

The German government on Wednesday agreed new draft rules for cultivation of genetically modified (GMO) crops, including a minimum buffer zone from conventional plantings. The cabinet approved a draft law from Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer for local German rules for cultivation of GMO crops which the European Union has already authorised. Under the rules, there must be a 150-metre gap between GMO crops and conventional crops to prevent cross-pollination. A 300-metre gap must be kept from fields with organic crops.

Genetically modified food products are not accepted by German consumers, according to a representative survey by Germanys leading institute on consumer research, GfK.

74.9% rejected the development and introduction of genetically modified foods as a matter of principle. At 6.7%, the number of protagonists was very low. 85.5% rejected animal products from animals which had been directly subjected to genetic modification, or indirectly affected by genetically modified feedstock.

A global report of Friends of the Earth shows that genetically modified (GM) crops have failed to address the main challenges facing farmers in most countries of the world. It notes that the 'second generation' GM farm crops has failed to appear. GM crops commercialised today have on the whole increased rather than decreased pesticide use, and do not yield more than conventional varieties. The environment has not benefited, and GM crops will become increasingly unsustainable over the medium to long term.

After years of delay, the Food and Drug Administration FDA tentatively concluded yesterday that milk and meat from some cloned farm animals are safe to eat. That finding could make the United States the first country to allow products from cloned livestock to be sold in grocery stores. Even if the agency’s assessment is formally approved next year, consumers will not see many steaks or pork chops from cloned animals because the technology is still too expensive to be used widely.

Europe's Food Safety Authority has ruled that a genetically-modified cotton plant, which can be used for food applications, presents no cause for concern. EFSA's GMO panel has now adopted an opinion on the application for the commercialisation of glufosinate-tolerant genetically modified LLCotton25. The panel concluded by saying that LLCotton25 is unlikely to have any adverse effect on human and animal health or on the environment in the context of its intended uses.

The European Commission lost for the second time a pivotal vote in the Council of Ministers on its GMO approvals. A qualified (two third) majority rejected its demand to waive an Austrian ban on Monsantos GM maize "Mon810". In fact all member states except the UK, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Netherlands voted against the proposal. Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace welcomed the decision. As a WTO panel had recently ruled that the Austrian ban was actually illegal, the member states decision is also a clear comment on the EU Commission's decision not to appeal this verdict.

Austria may escape another order to lift its two bans on genetically modified maize varieties as EU ministers prepare to deliver a second rebuff to the European Commission, officials said on Thursday. To force Austria to lift its bans, the Commission will need to secure a weighted majority of EU ministers in favour of its draft orders. There can also be a weighted majority against, when the Commission would withdraw the orders and reconsider. While the positions of nearly all the 25 countries are already known, three states are wavering - Germany, Portugal and Spain.

France may face a fine of more than 38 million euros (US$50.3 million) from Europe's top court for its failure to update national laws on genetically modified (GMO) crops and foods, the European Commission said on Tuesday. The Commission, the EU executive, has often warned France to comply with EU law and integrate into its national statute book an EU directive on the environmental release of GMOs. Apart from the lump sum fine, the Commission also asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to order Paris to pay 366,744 euros a day until French law adequately reflected the EU directive, it said in a statement.

Irish MEPs Liam Aylward (FF), Kathy Sinnott (Independent) and Marian Harkin (Independent) have strongly criticised a controversial draft resolution on biotechnology and genetically modified crops to be voted on soon by the European Parliament.