Last week, on October 28, the European Parliament voted against a new draft law that would allow Member States to restrict or prohibit the sale and use of EU-approved GMO food or feed on its territory. The background of this decision is that once a GMO product has been approved by the EU, then it should be freely accessible and freely marketable across the EU. If Member States would get to decide on additional restrictions in trade in their own countries, this would not only hinder cross-border trade in the EU in these products, but also complicate and, in practice, reinstate border controls. Interestingly, the European Commission may not withdraw the proposal but instead direct it to the EU ministers' review next (Parliament rejects national GMO bans proposal).
