BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU biotech experts will debate next week whether to allow imports of carnations whose colour has been genetically modified, possibly the first new approval of a GMO plant in eight years, officials said on Friday.

If approval is granted, the carnations would be permitted to enter EU-25 markets as cut flowers for distribution and sale to the general public. They would not be allowed to be grown.

The application for EU approval was filed to the European Commission by Florigene, one of Australia's first biotechnology companies and part of the privately owned Suntory group.

Marketed as Florigene Moonlite, the flowers are modified to produce blue pigment and also carry a herbicide-resistant gene.

Experts representing the EU's 25 national governments will discuss and possibly vote on Florigene's application, submitted via the Netherlands, on Monday.

The same day, EU agriculture ministers will discuss another GMO application for imports of modified rapeseed products marketed by German drugs and chemicals group Bayer.

The application is for use in animal feed, not for cultivation.

Ironically, carnations were the EU's last two GMO plant authorizations before the bloc began its six-year moratorium on new biotech approvals. The carnation types were modified to alter flower colour and "improve vase life".

Since then, even after the EU's unofficial moratorium ended in early 2004 because of a default legal rubberstamp from the executive Commission, the bloc's member states have consistently clashed on new GMO authorizations and failed to reach consensus.

Both GMO carnations were submitted by Florigene and received EU import approval in October 1998.

According to its website, Florigene developed the world's first mauve-colored carnation in 1996 and devotes much research on developing flowers that lack the blue colour, specifically roses, carnations and chrysanthemums.