Five-year ban on GM foods ends with approval for sale of canned sweetcorn

THE five-and-a-half-year ban on GM foods in the EU was officially ended yesterday with the decision by Commissioner David Byrne to allow the importation of canned GM sweet corn.

Mr Byrne admitted he did not see any benefits in GM food but with new EU laws ensuring genetically modified food is labelled in future, he said choice was now with the consumer.

The EU governments refused to lift the ban over the past few months, with several countries continuing to vote against opening up the market to GM, and instead handed the controversial decision back to the EU Commission.