US embassy cable - 05MADRID2663

UNCLAS MADRID 002663 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/ABT (DMALAC); STATE PASS FAS (BSIMMIONS) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, TBIO, SP 
SUBJECT: POSITIVE BIOTECH DEVELOPMENTS IN SPAIN 
 
 
1. The local Monsanto representative has reported that the 
Spanish Interministerial GMOs Commission (composed of the 
Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Health, Education and 
Science, and Industry, Tourism and Trade) took the following 
positive decisions at its 7/13/05 meeting. 
 
a) Monsanto's application to permit cultivation in Europe of 
the NK603 Roundup Ready corn variety will be transferred to 
the European Commission with a positive risk evaluation. 
 
b) The Director of the Spanish Food Safety Agency said he 
would contact the European Food Safety Agency and defend the 
positive scientific evaluation of the MON863 variety. 
 
c) The Ministry of Agriculture was given the authority to 
approve new varieties derived from MON810. 
 
d) The Interministerial Commission reportedly agreed to 
continue case by case decisions with respect to future EU 
Council votes.  The Commission will usually abstain when 
approvals may compete with local production and vote 
positively when cultivation applications are supported by 
Spanish producers and industry. 
 
2. Comment: The local Monsanto representative characterized 
the 7/13/05 decisions as "great news".  Industry and Embassy 
efforts (DCM's May 13 letter to the Ministry of Environment 
with copies to Agriculture and Trade plus other high-level 
demarches to GOS officials) may have contributed to this 
outcome. No doubt though there will continue to be good and 
bad days for ag biotech in Spain.  The attitude with respect 
to upcoming votes is troubling as it indicates that with 
respect to ag biotech decisions, protectionist motives, as 
well as undue deference to scientifically unfounded 
environmental opinions, influence Spanish policy. 
AGUIRRE