The European Union said this week that it "deplored" unauthorized imports of Bt10, a form of genetically modified maize made by Switzerland's Syngenta AG.
Genetically modified products cam be sold in the European Union only once they have been approved by EU authorities. Syngenta has yet to win approval for BT10, but the product has been imported into some EU countries, including France and Spain.
The Swiss company now must supply the EU Commission with information on the structure of Bt10 so that its presence can be detected by national governments.
U.S. federal and regulatory agencies also are investigating after it emerged last week that Syngenta sold Bt10 in the United States for four years without approval. Syngenta said the seeds had been used in four U.S. states and may have reached the food supply. Syngenta claims Bt10 poses no health risk to humans.