"There was no qualified majority for or against, as always. It now goes back to the (European) Commission for approval," an EU official told Reuters. The rubberstamp authorisation usually takes place in a few weeks, but can take longer.

The ministers' failure to agree means that the Commission, the EU executive, gains the power to authorise imports of the maize into EU markets - the approval method that has been used in the EU five times since May 2004 to approve new GMO products.

Two countries changed their votes from a committee meeting of EU member state environment experts held in September. Germany voted in favour after a previous absention, while Poland changed its earlier absention to a vote against authorisation.

Producing hybrid maize involves making separate lines that are then crossed to make a hybrid seed, allowing for desirable traits to be selected to enhance agricultural performance.

The maize is a cross between two distinct maize types known as MON 863, which can provide plant protection against certain pests, specifically corn rootworm, and MON 810, which is resistant to other pests such as caterpillars and certain worms. Both strains used to manufacture the hybrid maize have already won EU authorisation separately -- MON 810 maize in 1998, and MON 863 which the Commission approved in August.

Even though the EU has now lifted its six-year unofficial moratorium on approving new GMO products, national governments have consistently clashed over biotech policy.

EU member states have ended meetings in deadlock around 15 times in a row - either as ministers or as national experts - on whether to approve new GMO products, usually for use in industrial processing or as animal feed.