UK set for GM food push in Europe

Article reported that the United Kingdom was preparing to champion genetically modified crops in Europe in the spring of 2013 in an attempt to overturn en­trenched resistance among many EU members, including Austria and France.

Owen Paterson, the environment secretary, was said to have drawn up plans for a key speech backing GM with the firm backing of George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Meanwhile, other UK ministers from several departments prepared to launch a new agri-tech strategy that would make a strong case for the science.

The European Commission had so far approved only two EU-grown GM products for human consumpion, in contrast to the US and many other parts of the world where GM food is more widely accepted.

ESO: Background information: UK minister urges EU to speed up GM crop approvals http://www.europeansources.info/record/uk-minister-urges-eu-to-speed-up-gm-crop-approvals/

UK: DEFRA: Environment: Water, air, other environment quality issues: Genetic modification (GM) http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/gm/

European Commission: DG Health and Consumers: Overview: Food and feed safety: GM food and feed http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/gmfood/index_en.htm

Public Service Europe, 21.06.13: Non-GM farming in Europe 'outperforms' GM farming in US http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/3623/non-gm-farming-in-europe-outperforms-gm-farming-in-us

The Guardian, 21.06.13: GM foods: modify the argument (Editorial) http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/21/gm-foods-editorial

BBC News, 20.06.13: GM food: Paterson warns UK risks being 'left behind' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22997768

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