Austria to ban imports of genetically modified agricultural products

Austrian Minister of Health Alois Stoger signed legislation to ban imports of two types of genetically modified seeds and one type of genetically modified corn on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

Stoger stressed that the legislation can "ensure food safety without these ingredients in the next two years."

Currently, the European Union progressively relaxes the restriction on genetically modified agricultural products, although there are no genetically modified crops yet growing within the EU, this type of agriculture products is allowed to be imported.

Austria is traditionally very cautious about genetically modified agricultural products, which has strictly prohibited imports of genetically modified seeds, corns and foods with genetically modified agricultural products as raw materials. However, as a member of the EU Austria can only ban on imports of genetically modified products temporarily.

To this end, Stoger claimed that each member state of the EU should have autonomy on the issue of importing genetically modified agricultural products and asked the EU member states to reach a consensus on this issue as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, he stressed "the Austrians don't want biotech to appear on their dining tables and in their farmland" and added that the Austrians have the right to make their own choices on this issue.