Many Member States are in no position to evaluate potential risks of genetically modified crops, says French Conservative MEP Françoise Grossetête.

Interview: Leaving GMO Choice to Countries Means Chaos

which leaves the decision  whether to allow GMOs to Member States.

Such a decision gives  Member States the responsibility

to decide if they will restrict or ban  the cultivation of a GM crop.

I would have liked this decision  to be a community decision.

I wanted the decision  to be made at European level

in order to avoid having differences  between Member States

because some countries allow a crop  and others don't.

I don't see where the progress  or added value of Europe is in this.

Where do the consumers fit  in this legal chaos?

We voted recently, this week,  a text on food labelling.

so they can know whether  there are GMOs in a consumer good.

In this regard, in my opinion,  there is no problem.

The problem is knowing if we want to  restrict or ban a GMO.

Doing that at European level  would be the best solution.

I've reproached the European Commission  for not shouldering its responsibility

and passing it on to the Member States.  This is not a step forward.

For you, is passing on the responsibility  an admission of weakness?

Yes, for me it means:  'I don't want to make the decision.'

Some Member States support  the development of GMO cultivation,

others put forward the precautionary  principle as a reason to ban GMOs.

In the end, it's our farmers  who are the losers in this,

because they don't know  what they will have to do.

Also, banning or restricting GMOs  in Europe is one thing,

products from Argentina or other countries  in South America which contain GMOs

With respect to  these imports and exports,

because now we're in conflict  with trade rules.

And I don't see how the EU  can continue to operate like that.

I would have wanted us to strengthen  the scientific expertise of EFSA,

Some Member States  do not have this expertise

and they need to refer  to the scientific expertise of EFSA.

Are you afraid that large companies  go to these countries

Companies have the freedom to locate  to the Member State of their choice.

Unfortunately they relocate often,  which is a pity,

because we should have the research  on EU territory. That's also a guarantee.

So these two levels of expertise,  their connection...

Another level of expertise is put forward  at national, local level,

Françoise Grossetête, thank you.  - Thank you.