EU vows to defend GM crop bans against WTO attacks

A customer stands in a supermarket as a label of GM-free food is seen in the foreground in Moscow June 22, 2007.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's executive said it will defend countries that choose to ban genetically modified (GM) crops under proposals tabled on Tuesday against trade disputes from the United States or others.

"I will be backing member states with the United States, with the WTO, with whoever will be challenging if a challenge is coming on these issues, because I believe what we're doing is correct," European health commissioner John Dalli told EU lawmakers on Tuesday.

In 2006 the the World Trade Organisation largely backed a complaint brought against the EU in 2003 by the United States, Canada and Argentina, who argued the bloc was failing to apply its own scientific approval procedures to GM products.

(Reporting by Charlie Dunmore)