The rules still have to be approved by the European Parliament.

"We are going to transpose (into national legislation) the EU law in a few months. The Parliament will have to pass the two new regulations and there will be all kinds of procedures," French Environment Minister Roselyne Bachelot told the French National Assembly.

"Then, and only then, will be able to envisage a lifting of the moratorium (on new GM crops), which brings us very likely to the end of 2003," she said.

The EU has had a virtual ban on most GM crops since 1999 when a number of EU states vowed not to authorise any new GM crops for use in the bloc, pending tougher rules on what the media has sometimes dubbed "Frankenfoods" after Frankenstein's monster of Mary Shelley's novel.

France has always maintained a tough line, saying it wanted consumer protection laws in place before changing its stance.

Washington has called the ban illegal, dismissing European fears of potential environmental and health risks.

Last week a study commissioned by the French government urged the EU to end its ban on GMOs (genetically modified organisms), finding no proof of health or environmental risks.

French Research Minister Claudie Haignere said the report was "as a whole very reassuring about the safety of GMOs" but did not say it justified an end to the ban.