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EU agrees marketing rules for modified Soya

BRUSSELS: The European Commission said on Wednesday it had approved conditions for marketing genetically modified soybeans, which will allow Britain to authorise Monsanto Europe MTC.Nto handle the beans.

The Commission said in a statement it acted after an EU regulatory committee found no reason to believe there would be adverse effects on human health and the environment from the planned uses of the beans.

"It was also concluded that there are no safety reasons justifying the segregation of this product from other soybeans and the mentioning on the label that the product has been obtained by genetic modification," it said.

The Commission said its decision would not prevent EU states from applying national regulations to processed products such as edible oil or soybean meal for animal feed.

It said Britain's authorisation for Monsanto would cover handling fo the beans during import before and during storage and processing to other products.

The decision does not cover growing the soybeans, it said.-Reuter