It's more an environmental thing, I think. The enviro whackos are afraid that we'll create a super plant that will breed with native plants, and TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!
That's what they claim, but the real reason is economic. Biotech means doing a better job with fewer farmers. The European attitude is that crops exist to employ farmers, clothing exists to employ weavers, wine exists to employ vintners, etc. Anything that threatens jobs is to be shunned.
Of course, now they're realizing that biotech threatens their sinecures whether they adopt it or not.