France uses a new European scheme for the revocation of the law to keep ban on the cultivation of genetically modified crops in the country.

Largest producer and exporter of cereals in the European Union requested that the European Commission has excluded France from the list of countries that will cultivate GM maize, under the new scheme, announced by the Ministry of agriculture and the environment in a joint statement.

As part of the process of refusal France also adopted the law on the National Assembly, which will allow it to oppose the cultivation of GM crops, even if it is allowed at EU level, based on specific criteria, including the environment, agricultural policy, land use, economic impact, said the Ministry of environment.

Widespread in the Americas and Asia, GM crops have divided Europe. France has already banned the cultivation of GM maize American manufacturer Monsanto, saying that it has serious doubts as to its safety for the environment.

The Monsanto company said that its corn is safe for people and wildlife.

The possibility of evasion of the law of the EU, agreed in March, allows individual countries to exempt themselves from any request to allow the cultivation of GM crops on the territory of the Union of 28 States or to cancel a pre-authorized as safe varieties in the EU.

Corn Monsanto MON810 is the only GM crop grown in Europe - Spain and Portugal - during the decade, but other varieties of corn are in the approval process at the EU level.

One of them is resistant against insects variety of maize, known as 1507. Its developers DuPont Pioneer and Dow Chemical waited almost 15 years to the leadership of the EU has allowed its cultivation.

The request of France refers to the nine varieties of GM maize. Manufacturer of some varieties is also a Swiss company Syngenta, said the representative of the Ministry of environment.

Germany also intends to use new EU rules to stop the production of GM crops.

Responsible for authorising the European Commission, but under the new rules, countries must submit the exception request in the company applying for the permit.

Monsanto said it will comply with the requests of Latvia and Greece and eliminate them from the application on the production of GM crops in the EU, but has accused these countries of ignoring science.

Source: Thomson Reuters