EU fails to approve GM soybean, ministers to decide

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union biotech experts clashed on Monday on whether to authorize imports of a genetically modified soybean made by Monsanto, leaving the final decision to EU farm ministers, the EU executive said.

The soybean, a second-generation GM product known by its code number MON 89788, is designed to resist glyphosate Roundup Ready herbicides and also produce increased yields for farmers.

Monsanto's application for EU approval is for use in food and feed, not for cultivation in Europe's fields.

Europe's livestock and feed manufacturing industries have a keen interest in the EU authorizing more soybean imports since they depend heavily on shipments of soy products -- beans, meal -- as a source of protein-rich and high-quality feed.

EU countries only produce a minimal amount of soybeans in terms of overall EU consumption, so imports are crucial. Soybean meal is the primary source of protein for the EU animal feed market, representing more than 60 percent of vegetable protein.

Rapeseed meal is the second source of raw material for feedmakers but its protein content is much lower, between 30 and 35 percent. However, it has the advantage of mainly being produced in Europe.

After Monday's inconclusive vote by the national EU experts, the application will now be sent to ministers for discussion.

However, if the ministers disagree after three months and fail to muster enough consensus under the EU's weighted voting system either to approve or reject the application, the European Commission -- the EU executive -- will issue a default approval.

"As a result of today's inconclusive vote, the Commission will now transmit the dossier to the Council (of EU farm ministers) for a decision," the Commission said in a statement.

"If the Council does not reach a position within three months, the proposal will be sent back to the Commission for final adoption," it said.

Diplomats said 12 states voted in favor: Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Czech Republic. Six were against: Greece, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria and Poland.

The rest, apart from absentees Lithuania and Malta, abstained in the vote.

EU law allows for rubberstamp GMO authorizations when ministers cannot agree after a certain time. Since 2004, the Brussels-based European Commission has approved a string of GM products, nearly all maize, in this way, outraging green groups.

That happened earlier this month with another modified soybean, developed and marketed by Bayer CropScience and known by its codenumber A2704-12

While the EU has now approved a string of GM products by default rubberstamp, it does not yet allow the presence of any other GMO on EU territory, even in tiny amounts, until the EU approval for that specific GM product is granted.

(Editing by Michael Roddy)