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Stopthecrop.org reports that in today's meeting between EU member states, an indicative vote took place about the authorisation for cultivation of Pioneer's GM maize (1507). 

It turned out that 16 countries voted against! Only 5 countries (Sweden, Spain, the UK, Estonia, and Finland) supported the Commission's plans to get the GM maize authorised.

On 11 February the final vote will take place. Thanks for taking action and keep sending those letters! Go to: www.stopthecrop.org

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Germany to abstain in EU vote on new GMO maize

By Michael Hogan and Stephen Brown

Reuters, Feb 5 2014

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/05/germany-gmo-vote-idUSL5N0LA2QG20140205

* German coalition undecided on GMO policy

* Upcoming EU meeting may not be able to make decision

* Large number of states still expected to oppose

Germany intends to abstain in a European Union vote on the cultivation of a new type of genetically modified maize, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Some German opposition politicians said an abstention could lead to the European Commission giving a green light for the maize to be farmed, but diplomats in Brussels said Germany's move might not be enough to ensure EU approval.

The vote covers an insect-resistant maize, known as Pioneer 1507, developed jointly by DuPont and Dow Chemical. If approved, it would end Monsanto's current monopoly in Europe's small market for GMO crops.

The EU has only ever approved two other GMO crops for commercial cultivation, a maize type and a potato, but the potato was later blocked by a court.

In November, the Commission, the EU executive, proposed that governments should approve the new maize type and a vote is expected on Tuesday next week.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "The German government has agreed to abstain ... It is normal procedure to abstain on a dossier where there are different opinions within the government on the matter."

EU diplomats expect the meeting of EU ministers to fail to reach a definitive agreement. Under the EU's decision-making process, a deadlock would allow the executive Commission to then make a final decision.

Some have said this could lead to the Commission unilaterally approving the maize but EU diplomats said it was very unclear what the Commission would do because even if the vote on Tuesday is inconclusive in strict legal terms, many member states are expected to oppose approval.

"If from a political point of view, a large number of member states are opposed, on that basis, the Commission would have to reflect," one diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

"The abstention ... by the federal government opens the way for approval of the genetically modified maize type 1507 in the European Union," said Alexander Bonde, the opposition Green Party's state consumer protection minister in the south German Baden-Wuerttemberg state government.

Germany's grand coalition government is still developing its policy on the cultivation of GMO crops, German agriculture minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said on Jan. 16.

Germany's stance is a blow for France which opposes the GMO and lobbied Germany heavily on the issue, notably during a visit of the German farm minister to Paris in early January.

"We take note of the German decision," a French farm ministry official said. "This does not question France's position which clearly remains to keep a ban on genetically modified organisms."

France on Wednesday launched an attempt to restore a ban on genetically modified (GMO) maize annulled by its top court to avoid sowings this spring.

Britain's farm minister has called for a yes vote for cultivation of the maize type.

Environmentalists noted that the European Food Safety Authority has released a number of scientific opinions highlighting the impact of a toxin released by 1507.

"The approval of this crop would be utterly irresponsible. The EU's own safety testing has shown that it is harmful to butterflies and moths and that there are still significant gaps in safety testing," Mark Breddy, spokesman at Greenpeace in Brussels, said.