EU environment ministers and the European Commission recently unanimously accepted a French proposal to re-evaluate the approval process for genetically modified (GM) products.
In their 5 June meeting in Luxembourg, ministers recognised the need to improve the GM evaluation and authorisation system, with emphasis placed on longer-term discussion on health and environment impacts.
The proposal stems from growing criticism of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the EU’s scientific risk assessment body that authorises products for the European market. Member states claim that the understaffed agency relies too much on information provided by the industry and therefore improperly approves GM products with insufficient research. EFSA is responding by creating a database of external scientific experts to help the agency with its work and to increase transparency in the process.
“It is now clear that the authorisation process must be halted until risk assessment procedures are truly independent and compliant with EU legal requirements,” said Marco Contiero of the Greenpeace Genetic Engineering European Unit to the EUObserver.
The EU is, however, under pressure from its trading partners to ensure that GM approvals are speeded up, following a dispute settlement case at the WTO (see Bridges Trade BioRes, 22 February 2008, http://www.ictsd.org/biores/08-02-22/story2.htm).
Meanwhile, on 10 June EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou proposed raising the tolerance threshold for unauthorised GM material in imports, negating the EU’s “zero tolerance” policy. This move, which was strongly opposed by environmental groups, could open the door for more imports from trading partners that have embraced GM. Much European feed is imported, and the feed industry had called for an easing of imports to deal with shortages and rising prices.
On a related note, Switzerland voted on 29 May to extend its moratorium on GM cultivation to 2010. According to the Swiss Federal Council, Swiss farmers have been able to sell their products at a premium on the international market, as they are guaranteed to be non-GM and free of GM contamination.
ICTSD reporting; “EU food safety agency aims for more transparency,” EURACTIV, 9 June 2008; “EU to propose more flexible GMO food imports,” REUTERS, 10 June 2008; “Environment ministers agree GMO approval overhaul,” EUOBSERVER, 6 June 2008; “GM crops banned in Switzerland until 2010,” AGRA EUROPE, 29 May 2008; “EU official takes Nebraska agricultural tour,” WORLD HERALD BUREAU, 16 May 2008.