European Health Commissioner Tonio Borg has expressed a desire to open a dialogue on 'compromise measures' that would allow some EU states to grow genetically modified crops whilst permitting others to implement bans.

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The measures were proposed in 2010 and have been subject to discussion in the past, but were rejected by France, Britain and Germany. A spokesperson for Tonio Borg said there are Commission plans to enter into talks with the three states that remain steadfast in their opposition to the draft legislation.

However, the abiding disunity over GM in the bloc means no new approvals of the controversial crops are expected before 2015. Although the British government has pledged its unqualified support for GM crops, the only such seed licensed for cultivation in the EU (a variety of GM maize) is currently banned in eight member states.

Germany opposes the 'compromise' measures on the grounds they would violate EU regulations on the single market, whereas other states opposing the measures claim they do not offer enough protection to states wishing to remain GM-free. These objectors believe GM-sceptic states would be open to legal challenges and may eventually have GM forced upon them.

The commission will not license any more GM crops until the end of its mandate next year, while it seeks to unify states whose views on GM crops and EU approval differ.

There are currently seven GM crops awaiting approval from the Commission, having passed through the European Food Safety Authority's risk assessment process, though eventual licensing may now be a long way off, according to Commissioner Borg's spokesperson. All crops awaiting approval (one soybean and six maize varieties) have been produced by large agribusinesses.

Commenting on the commission's pronouncements on Tuesday (22nd January), Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero said, "EU testing is not currently able to assess the safety of GM crops for the environment and health. For this reason, European countries unanimously called on the Commission to fix the authorisation system in 2008.

"The logical next step would be to freeze approvals of GM crops and to reform the way risk assessments are carried out. Unfortunately, so far the Commission's attempts at reform have been far too timid and its refusal to declare an outright freeze on new approvals is determined by its fear of the biotech industry."

Disagreements over GM crops continue in EU

In the past, regulatory and licensing decisions on GM crops have fallen to the commission because of insurmountable disagreement between member states. However, GM sceptics expressed hope last year when former health Commissioner John Dalli, a vocal supporter of GM crops, resigned under a cloud. The commission had frozen authorisation requests for over 20 varieties of GM seed at the time of Dalli's resignation in October. 

Friends of the Earth spokesperson Mute Schimpf expressed hope that the incoming Commissioner would hold more balanced views. She commented at the time, "For us it's a responsibility and a task for a consumer commissioner to listen to the needs and the wishes of the consumers instead of following a handful of biotech companies' interests."

The EU has licensed cultivation of just two GM crops since they became commercially available. Although Monsanto's MON810 maize, sold as yieldgard, continues to be grown in a number of states, the renewal process for its authorisation has been ongoing since 2007.

The second variety, BASF's Amflora potato performed poorly. In January 2012, the company announced it would withdraw Amflora from sale in the EU and move its biotech research facilities abroad, citing "a lack of acceptance [for GM] from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians."

Although only one variety of GM Maize is approved for cultivation, over 50 GM crops have been cleared for import into the bloc, mostly for use in animal feed.