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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia not obliged to observe EU decision to approve GM sweet corn for food use

Belgrade, 27 May 2004

The Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management said that Serbia is not obliged to comply with the European Union’s decision to approve the sale of GM sweet corn for food use. Serbia has its own legislation on GM food, the Ministry explained, adding that seed and mercantile corn and soy and their products for livestock feed are subject to border tests and sampling

Belgrade, May 27, 2004 - The Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management said that Serbia is not obliged to comply with the European Union’s decision to approve the sale of GM sweet corn for food use.

Serbia has its own legislation on GM food, the Ministry explained, adding that seed and mercantile corn and soy and their products for livestock feed are subject to border tests and sampling.

On May 19, the EU authorised the placing on the market (import and processing) of sweet corn from genetically modified maize line Bt11. The decision is valid for 10 years and addressed to Swiss company Syngenta. Any imports of the canned vegetable will have to show clearly on the labelling that the corn has been harvested from a genetically modified plant.

EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection David Byrne said that GM sweet corn was subject to the most rigorous pre-marketing assessment by scientists of the EU Commission for Food Safety, read a statement by the Ministry.