http://www.agriculture.com/worldwide/AgricultureFarming/04_29_2002.reulb-story-bchealthaventis.html


Belgium refuses licence for Aventis GMO crop test


     BRUSSELS, April 29 (Reuters) - Belgium has refused to grant a
licence to Aventis CropScience to conduct experimental field tests with 
a genetically modified strain of oilseed rape on Belgian sites, the Health 
Ministry said on Monday.

     The requested test concerned herbicide resistant oilseed rape.

     Health Minister Magda Aelvoet told a news conference there was too
large a risk of the genetically modified crops spreading into the environment.

     ``A recent European Environmental Agency report states that pollen
from oilseed can be transported by bees over a distance of four kilometres 
and survive several days,'' the Health Ministry said in a statement.

     ``The chance of transgenetic plants 'escaping' is therefore very
real,'' it added.

     The Franco-German drugs company did however obtain a licence to
experiment with insect-resistant maize in a greenhouse on one Belgian site 
to evaluate new insect-tolerant corn lines.

     Two other field experiments -- with viral disease resistant sugar
beet and herbicide resistant chicory -- by other companies were also approved.

     A request for experiments with fungal disease resistant apple trees
by a Dutch company was refused.