BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- The European Commission Friday approved three varieties of genetically modified corn for import and consumption in the European Union.
The three varieties - two developed by U.S. biotech giant Monsanto Co. (MON) and one by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a E.I. DuPont De Nemours & Co. (DD) subsidiary - were deemed safe by the European Food Safety Authority, the commission said.
The approvals, valid for 10 years, only cover importation and don't allow the crops to be grown in the EU.
EU nations deadlocked on whether to approve or reject the three varieties. Under the 27-member bloc's arcane approval system for biotech crops, the commission, the EU's executive arm, is then given unilateral authority over whether to approve or reject authorizations for the biotech varieties.
-By Matthew Dalton, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 1487; matthew.dalton@dowjones.com