Controversial GM bill passed by MPs

Parliament has adopted a controversial bill on genetically-modified crops despite criticism from both major parties.

While left-wing critics said the bill lacked strong safeguards to protect conventional crops from possible contamination, the centre-right politicians said the clause obliging farmers to disclose GM crops gave too much ground to environmentalists.

Last week the bill was defeated by one vote after only one third of the ruling UMP party turned out to support it.

Several dozen anti-GM protestors rallied outside the senate building as lawmakers adopted the bill, which lays down the “freedom to consume and produce with or without GMOs”.

The bill also sets a two-year prison sentence for tearing up GM crops, a method of choice for anti-GM campaigners including the farmer-activist José Bové.

No GM crops are being grown officially in France, after the government in February banned the only strain of GM maize under cultivation, MON810, produced by US agribusiness giant Monsanto.