針對奧地利與匈牙利對爭議性基改玉米所制定的種植禁令，歐盟執委會（European Commission）提議強制解除，卻在3月2日遭歐盟環境部長以壓倒性表決駁回。
本次環境部長會議首度由捷克擔任主席，共對三項執委會提案進行投票，決定是否撤除奧地利與匈牙利對兩種基改玉米品系的禁種條款。
在歐盟27個會員國中，有22國投票支持匈牙利維持對孟山都（Monsanto）MON810基改玉米的禁令，以及奧地利對MON810和拜耳T25玉米的禁令。
MON810基改玉米在市面以Yieldgard產品名稱販售，具有抵抗害蟲「歐洲玉米螟」(European corn borer)的能力。
由拜耳作物科學公司（Bayer CropScience）所改造的T25玉米則能夠容忍除草劑「固殺草」（glufosinate）。固殺草原本是瑞典化學質署建議禁止的農藥，但在2009年1月13日得到歐盟議會核准使用。
對於表決的結果，綠黨歐洲議會議員（MEP）盧卡斯（Caroline Lucas）表示，「歐盟環境部長的決定對於環境、農民與消費者都是好消息，也為往後反對基改作物的行動立下良好基礎。」
自從歐盟基改植物禁令在2005年到期後，歐盟執委會就開始試圖為相關禁令鬆綁。但所有解除禁令的提案都被歐盟環境部長否決。
盧卡斯指出，「執委會違反會員國公民的意願，提議強制開放種植基改作物，這已是第四次遭到歐盟政府否決了。執委會無視於公眾反對，持續闖關推動有利於基改作物的方針，讓人深感困擾。」
在2007年2月，環境部長會議否決了執委會企圖解除匈牙利基改玉米禁種條款的提案。匈牙利隨後提交了4份關於MON810基改玉米對環境影響的研究，讓執委會交給歐盟食品安全局進行評估。
2008年7月，歐盟食品安全局做出結論，認為這些研究並未提供新的資料，無法用以支持匈牙利對MON810的禁種令。
執委會因此再度向部長會議提案解禁，匈牙利也開始傳播一封文書，當中引用一連串顯示MON810對環境有不良影響的研究，認為禁令應該維持。
匈牙利是歐洲最大的穀物生產者之一。1995到2000年間，奧地利、法、德、希臘等國陸續禁止歐盟核准的基改作物，匈牙利在2005年1月跟進，成為東歐第一個禁止MON810基改玉米的國家。
環境部長會議接下來還要陸續為法國與希臘的基改作物禁令進行投票。根據歐盟民調處（Eurobarometer）在2008年三月的調查，匈牙利有7成受訪者反對基改生物，奧地利則有6成2，法國有7成，希臘也有7成7的受訪者表示反對。
盧卡斯表示，「我們希望環境部能繼續堅持把關。不過目前最需要的，其實是歐盟對基改生物的明確政策。在2008年12月，27個會員國已經一致決議，必須優先檢討針對基改作物的風險評估流程。」
European Union environment ministers today overwhelmingly rejected a European Commission proposal to force Austria and Hungary to lift their bans on the controversial cultivation of varieties of genetically modified maize, or corn.
The first Environment Council under the Czech Presidency was asked to decide on three commission proposals for repealing safeguard clauses by Austria and Hungary on the cultivation of two genetically modified varieties of maize.
Twenty-two of the EU's 27 member states voted to allow Hungary to maintain a ban on Monsanto's GM maize, MON810, and Austria to keep its ban on MON810 and Bayer's T25.
Sold under the trade name Yieldgard, MON810 confers resistance to European corn borer, an insect pest.
Bayer CropScience's modified maize T25 is engineered to tolerate the pesticide glufosinate. Glufosinate was included in a biocide ban proposed by the Swedish Chemicals Agency and approved by the European Parliament on January 13, 2009.
Commenting on the decision, Green MEP Caroline Lucas said, "Today's decision by EU environment ministers is great news for the environment, farmers and consumers - and sets a good precedent for future campaigns against genetically modified crops.
After the end of the EU moratorium on the approval of GM plants, the European Commission began to fight such bans in 2005. The EU environmental ministers, however, have rejected all proposals to lift the prohibitions.
"This is the fourth time EU governments have rejected a commission proposal to force member states to act against the will of their citizens and to allow the cultivation of GM crops," said Lucas. "It is deeply disturbing that the commission continues to try and bulldoze through its pro-GM agenda in spite of public opposition."
In February 2007, the Council of Environment Ministers rejected a commission proposal to repeal Hungary's safeguard clause on this GM maize. Hungary then submitted four studies on the effects of MON810 on the environment which the Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority to assess.
In July 2008, European Food Safety Authority concluded that the studies contained no new data that would justify prohibiting cultivation of MON810 in Hungary.
The Commission therefore resubmitted its proposal to the council for decision. Hungary has since circulated a letter referring to a series of studies that indicate adverse effects of MON810 on the environment in Hungary which it believes justify maintaining the safeguard measure.
Hungary is one of Europe's biggest grain producers. In January 2005, it was the first country in eastern Europe to prohibit the genetically modified maize MON 810, following similar bans on EU-approved GM crops in Austria, France, Germany, Greece and Luxembourg during the years 1995 to 2000.
More votes are yet to come in the Environment Council concerning the bans on GM crops in France and Greece.
According to a Eurobarometer survey of March 2008, in Hungary 70 percent of respondents were against genetically modified organisms; in Austria, 62 percent were opposed; in France 70 percent were opposed, and in Greece 77 percent of respondents said they were against GMOs.
"We hope environment ministers will again step up to the plate," said Lucas. "However, what we really need is a clearly defined European policy on GMOs. This must start with an overhaul of the risk assessment procedure for GM crops, as requested unanimously by all 27 member states in December 2008."
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