French constitutional court upholds GMO law

PARIS, June 19 (Reuters) - France's constitutional council approved the main points of a law on genetically modified crops on Thursday after opposition Socialists had demanded a review.

The Socialists and environmentalists said the bill blurred the line between natural and genetically modified organisms (GMO) but the constitutional council ruled that it conformed with the constitution.

"The law, which provides for a preliminary system of authorisation for GMOs and makes their cultivation subject to evaluation, surveillance and control procedures does not fail to respect the principle of precaution when it allows coexistence of GMO and non-GMO crops," it said in a statement.

The Socialists and environmental campaigners had sought a complete overhaul of the law, which they say is too favourable to the interests of biotech companies such as U.S. giant Monsanto (MON.N).

The council ordered the government to amend one article concerning the types of information an applicant for a licence would have to provide.

But the environment ministry said that would not stop the law, passed earlier this year after a tumultuous passage through parliament, from coming into force before the end of the year. (Reporting by James Mackenzie, edited by Richard Meares)