Sept 27 (Reuters) - EU farm ministers met in Brussels on Monday to discuss draft rules to let national governments to decide whether to ban or grow genetically modified (GM) crops, proposed by the European Commission in July.
The proposals include changes to EU GM legislation, which will need the backing of a qualified majority of EU governments and lawmakers under the bloc's weighted voting system to pass.
Several large EU countries -- including France, Germany, Spain and Italy -- have criticised the plans as an attempt to dismantle the 27-nation bloc's common policy on GM crops, and for seeking to undermine the EU's internal market.
Below are reactions to the proposals and comments on the draft plans from EU governments:
GERMAN STATE SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE ROBERT KLOOS
Sept 27, at a ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"We are against the proposals, as the internal market would fall apart (if they were adopted)."
"Our position is steadfast as long as the proposal remains as it is."
FRENCH FARM MINISTER BRUNO LE MAIRE
Sept 27, at a ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"We believe that moving to national decisions would represent a breach (of EU decision making) that would be dangerous for economic reasons, health reasons and for political and social reasons."
"I met (EU health and consumer chief) John Dalli last week, we talked at length, and he knows perfectly the position of the French government, which is shared by me, (environment minister) Jean-Louis Borloo, the prime minister and the president."
ITALIAN FARM MINISTER GIANCARLO GALAN
Sept 27, at a ministers' meeting in Brussels
"I think Europe should and must have a single position, a common position on GMOs, a strong and solid position in front of the big agriculture powers such as Canada, Brasil, and China."
"This is our position which we will bring to the European Council and which I believe will coincide with positions of major European agriculture nations, including France."
BELGIAN FARM MINISTER SABINE LARUELLE
Sept 27, at a ministers' meeting in Brussels.
"The Belgian presidency's position is largely in line with the position expressed by France and others."
BRITISH JUNIOR FARM MINISTER JIM PAICE
Sept. 20, speaking in Mechelen near Brussels.
"We don't like the current impasse, which is where a relatively small number of countries who are wholly opposed to GM crops are basically preventing the whole of Europe moving forward on the subject."
"The idea of effectively nationalising the policy is pretty counterproductive in terms of the single market, but if it's the only way to move forward it may be the least worst option."
"The reality is that, especially in terms of livestock feed, GM is here and our intensive livestock producers need the soy and grain."
GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL
July 21, speaking in Berlin.
"We have a European single market. (If individual member states are left to decide whether to accept GMOs) then what will we do with these products?"
"If we continue like this, the single market has come to an end."
FRENCH ENVIRONMENT MINISTER JEAN-LOUIS BORLOO
June 11, at a ministers' meeting in Luxembourg.
"The EU27 decided unanimously in December 2008 to completely review the assessment methods and expertise for authorisations. They agreed that in its current form, the system fails to provide sufficient assurances."
"I'm waiting for the European Commission to tell us where we stand now. The prospect that later we could discuss the use of subsidiarity in future authorisations wouldn't be a problem for me. But there is no way we would swap subsidiarity for the absolute need for a tightening of the assessment criteria."
"When the 27 countries talked about it (in 2008), they clearly said that no new authorisations can be approved in the current circumstances. That's where we stand."
SPANISH AGRICULTURE MINISTER ELENA ESPINOSA
June 11, at a ministers' meeting in Luxembourg.
"Moving to authorisations by each country could take us to the beginning of re-nationalisation, something we have never supported in Spain."
"In Spain we have always defended the idea that it should be a European policy. Let us not forget that agriculture is a common policy. A particular product has no reason not to have a common policy."
"We've been asking for years for a European directive to deal with the question of coexistence (of GM and non-GM farming). I transmitted this idea to the Commissioner (John Dalli) and we hope that things could move that way." (Compiled by Reuters news bureaus)