LONDON -- The European Union has allowed politics rather than science to dominate decision making on genetically modified crops, the chief executive of Syngenta AG said on Tuesday.
"The EU is moving further and further away from the principles of science-based decision making," Mike Mack, whose Swiss-based company makes products to kill weeds and bugs as well as GMO seeds, told a conference on food security.
GMO crops have struggled to gain approval in the EU with biotech-sceptic states often managing to prevent a majority consensus under the EU's complex weighted voting system, creating a deadlock.
Opponents have cited both public health and environmental concerns.
Britain's chief scientific advisor John Beddington also expressed frustration at the EU approval process.
"It is perfect reasonably of ask about health and safety of humans and health and safety of the environment with GM crops but subject to appropriate testing and scientific investigation it seems to be a tool that is absolutely essential to be thinking about using," he told Reuters.
"There are quite clearly political views that are fundamentally against GM irrespective of the scientific advice and that is really unfortunate," he said on the sidelines of a Chatham House food security conference.
Syngenta's Mack said EU opposition "sends completely the wrong signal to the world at large."
"It is one of the factors keeping technology out of the hands of Africa. I think we need every tool in the toolbox," he said.
EU rules have blocked imports from countries which use GMO seeds.
This summer, over 200,000 tonnes of soybean and soymeal were refused entry to EU ports, largely in Spain, because they contained small amounts of GMO corn (maize) varieties not approved in Europe.
"What is required is science-based regulation that does not take a back seat to politics at every turn," Mack said.
Food security has moved up the political agenda with demand expected to rise by 50 percent by 2030 driven by a rising global population and increasing consumption of meat.
Beddington said growing demand would have to be met while at the same time that agriculture must both mitigate its impact on and adapt to climate change.
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