EU experts clash over France, Greece GM maize bans

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU biotech experts failed to muster enough consensus on Monday to approve an order for France and Greece to lift their bans on growing genetically modified maize, sending the decision to ministers, the EU executive said.

Both countries have used legal provisions to prohibit cultivation of MON 810 maize developed by U.S. biotech company Monsanto. First approved in 1998, the maize type is the only GM crop that may be commercially grown on EU soil as yet.

Since the experts failed to secure enough majority under the EU's complex weighted voting system to endorse or reject the draft orders, both dossiers will now be sent to EU ministers for their consideration.

"The (experts') committee failed to reach a qualified majority in favor or against the two proposals. For this reason the decision will be referred to the council of (EU) ministers," the European Commission said in a statement.

However, if the ministers themselves cannot agree after three months, EU law gives the final say to the European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- which would most probably issue orders to both France and Greece.

(Reporting by Jeremy Smith)