"Greenpeace has identified a weak point in the strategy of using GoldenRice for reducing vitamin A-deficiency" Ingo Potrykus, 10 Feb 2001
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Excerpts on the consequences of the new European Union GMO rules (dubbed "industry's lifeline") requiring traceability:

"A U.S. grain industry official said the traceability requirement would be impossible for the industry to meet without massive new investments.

The industry does not have the infrastructure in place to keep genetically modified crops separate from conventional varieties throughout the marketing chain, the aide said.

...France, Italy, Denmark, Greece, Austria and Luxembourg have said they will continue to block approvals of new genetically modified varieties until traceability rules are in place."
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EU says new GM crop directive requires "traceability" http://news.excite.com/news/r/010216/15/eu-crops-usa February 16, 2001

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New European Union rules for the approval of genetically modified crops would require U.S. industry to closely track the new varieties as they move through commercial channels, EU aides said Friday.

John Richardson, deputy chief of mission at the European Commission's Washington office, said the "traceability" requirement would allow Brussels to collect data on the potential health effects of the crops, which are still viewed by many European consumers with deep suspicion.

Over time, the data hopefully would build confidence that the varieties are safe, he said.

The EU desperately wants to avoid a replay of its "mad cow" beef crisis with genetically modified crops.

"A real mistake in biotechnology could set us back decades in Europe," Richardson said.

A U.S. grain industry official said the traceability requirement would be impossible for the industry to meet without massive new investments.

The industry does not have the infrastructure in place to keep genetically modified crops separate from conventional varieties throughout the marketing chain, the aide said.

The new directive, approved this week by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers, will take at least 18 months to implement, Richardson said.

At the same time, the European Commission -- the EU's executive branch -- will work closely with member states and the EU parliament on a legislative package to complement the revised directive, Richardson said.

France, Italy, Denmark, Greece, Austria and Luxembourg have said they will continue to block approvals of new genetically modified varieties until traceability rules are in place.

U.S. corn producers have been virtually shut out of the EU market in recent years because of a defacto EU moratorium on the approval of new genetically modified varieties.

Previously, U.S. corn sales to Spain and Portugal had ranged from 1.5 million to 2.0 million tonnes per year.

Richardson said it was difficult to say when U.S. corn exports to the EU would return to previous levels.

Assuming the U.S. can develop a system to track genetically modified crops as they move through commercial channels, the earliest opportunity could be in the second half of 2003.

Richardson noted U.S. exporters are not barred from selling genetically modified varieties already approved in the EU.

However, most U.S. exporters have steered clear of the EU market, rather than risk a cargo being rejected.