But the chance of success is limited, after the Court of First Instance - the EU's second highest EU court - in October last year prohibited the region of Upper Austria to ban the growth of genetically modified crops.
EU policy on GMOs is based on a 2001 EU law, which provides for a case-by-case authorisation regime for the release of GMO products on the bloc's common market, on the basis of a safety check by both national authorities and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA).
Europe a "next opportunity" for Monsanto
The US-based biotech giant, Monsanto is aiming to genetically modify all of Europe's maize over the next four years, according to a new report by environmental NGO Friends of the Earth released on Tuesday (10 January) .
Monsanto has announced to its investors that it sees Europe as a "next opportunity" and highlighted that in the four years up to 2010, there is market potential to introduce 59 million hectares of its Roundup Ready maize and 32 million hectares of its YieldGard insect-resistant maize.
In addition, it is aiming to introduce 1 million acres of its GM soybeans.
Monsanto currently has permission to grow only one type of insect-resistant maize in the EU.
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
