PARIS, Nov. 26  The European agriculture commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, warned farm ministers on Monday that Europe’s resistance to importing genetically modified products like livestock feed was contributing to the rising cost of raising pigs and chickens and could pose a threat to the meat industry.

Her warning, made during a closed-door lunch in Brussels, highlighted renewed debate over whether Europe could afford to impose tougher rules on genetically modified products than other parts of the world.

Some European officials say the region should maintain its skeptical stance toward the technology on safety grounds, while others argue for a more pragmatic approach to enhance the region’s competitiveness and help the agricultural sector.

Michael Mann, a spokesman for Ms. Fischer Boel, said Monday that the European Union’s zero-tolerance policy toward genetically modified foods comes at “potential major cost.”