No conclusive decision was once again the outcome of an EU vote to either allow or prohibit the cultivation of a GM maize variety, Pioneer 1507, in the EU. On Tuesday, 19 member state representatives voted to prevent the licensing, but uneven voting rights within the regulations mean that this is not a majority ‘no’ vote and the proposal was once again neither accepted nor rejected. The final decision now passes to the EU Commission which is expected to clear the Pioneer 1507 maize for cultivation within the EU. This is the first maize variety to be cleared for cultivation since 1998 and this only moved to decision stage following an EU court ruling last September. This was taken by DuPont Pioneer, the breeders of 1507, and it compels the EU institutions to uphold the timetables contained within the regulations. Up to now, a blocking minority prevented all previous licensing proposals, but in this vote the absence of a majority ‘yes’ or ‘no’ meant the decision reverts to the commission.

With seven positive safety opinions provided by the EFSA it seems inevitable that the Commission will approve 1507 for cultivation.

Ireland was one of the 19 that voted against the adoption of the proposal, while Britain, Spain and Sweden were amongst those in favour.

* When asked yesterday for Minister for Agriculture’s Simon Coveney’s response to the voting stance taken by Ireland, a spokesperson said: “It is a Government decision following consultations with member states”.