European Union governments next week will begin to tackle the controversial issue of whether to force France and Greece to allow planting of a genetically modified corn developed by U.S. biotech giant Monsanto Co. (MON).

The European Commission, the E.U.'s executive arm, has recommended the French and Greek bans on planting the Monsanto corn be overturned because the countries don't have scientific evidence indicating the crops are harmful.

The Monsanto corn - known as MON 810 - is the only biotech plant that can be grown in Europe.

A committee of experts from the governments will vote Monday on the commission's proposal. If the governments are divided, the commission's proposal must be voted on by environment ministers when they gather March 2.

The ministers in the past have rejected commission efforts to overturn national bans enacted by Austria and Hungary. Most observers expect they will do so again, out of respect for the national autonomy of the E.U. governments - although they say the votes will be close and the ministers could remain deadlocked.

In that case the decision would return to the commission, which would likely approve its own proposal.

"There is a high-level clash between the two institutions, the European Council on the one side and the commission on the other," said Marco Contiero of Greenpeace, which opposes commission efforts to lift the bans.

The French government this week defended its ban after a report by the French food safety agency, made public by French daily Le Figaro, found no risk to human health from the Monsanto genetically modified corn. French officials said the ban was still necessary to prevent the biotech corn from contaminating other fields.

-By Matthew Dalton, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 2 741 1487; matthew.dalton@dowjones.com