European lawmakers propose to deny GM crops access to EU

2014/1/26 Agricultural Resources Guide

content Summary the European Food Safety Authority's risk assessment report pointed out that the pollen of genetically modified 1507 maize varieties may be dangerous to highly sensitive butterflies and moths. Therefore, members of the European Parliament proposed to deny genetically modified crops to the EU market.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called on the European Commission to deny GM maize Pioneer 1507 access to the EU market. A recently adopted resolution indicates that this pest-resistant crop may be harmful to harmless butterflies and moths.

Since the mid-1990s, the European Union has not been able genetically modified crops at present, only Monsanto's genetically modified corn variety MON 810 is authorized to be planted for commercial use in the EU. Pioneer 1507 could become the second GM crop to be grown commercially in the EU.

Roth-Behrendt Dagmar, a German employee of S & D Group, joined other members of the Environment Committee in opposing the adoption of the proposal. He said: "There is not enough evidence to show that the safety of this new GMO meets the criteria for entering the EU market. We were very surprised by the attitude of the European Commission, as 12 member states opposed this proposal and only six member states supported it."

A risk assessment report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that pollen from 1507 maize varieties may be dangerous to highly sensitive butterflies and moths. However, DuPont declined to provide more documentation on the monitoring of these non-target species and measures to reduce hazards.

In the end, the Commission decided on the grounds that it was urged by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in September 2013. But the fact is that the European Court of Justice only ruled that the European Commission did not perform its duties in a timely manner. However, the European Commission is not required to submit a motion authorizing the 1507 of maize varieties.

Roth-Behrendt said: "We don't know when the parliament will make a decision. But any authorization for new GM crops is a major event because it is a big challenge for the parliament to get a majority of member states to approve or oppose the resolution. That is why the request for authorization has dragged on for so long without a final decision."

in July 2013, Monsanto said it would abandon its application to plant new GM crops in the EU because it did not believe that growing GM crops in the EU had good commercial prospects. Indeed, because some member states do not approve the cultivation of new genetically modified crops in the EU, the regulatory environment for genetically modified crops in the EU is very severe.

Furthermore, companies cannot provide safety certificates for new GM crops, which cannot eliminate the constant doubts of European residents about GM crops.

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