EFSA GMO Watch

News:
In February the Standing Committee on the Food Chain Animal Health (SCoFCAH)
voted on stacked events in genetically engineered maize (Bt11xMIR604 and MIR604xGA21 and Bt 11xMIR604XGA21, Syngenta) and cotton (Cotton 281-24-236x3006-210-23, Dow AgroSciences) for import and use in food and feed. These crops contain a mixture of Bt-toxins (insecticidal proteins) and herbicide tolerance (glyphosate and glufosinate). Risk assessment is mainly based on the characterisation of the single events. There was no detailed testing of combinatorial effects. EFSA does not require animal feeding studies or empirical testing of synergistic effects between the toxins and residues from herbicide applications. No majority was reached in the Standing Committee. The decision on market authorisation will now move to the Council of Ministers. It is likely that the EU Commission will make the final decision.

EFSA announced a reassessment of its opinion on Bt 11 and Maize 1507 for cultivation. Their previous opinions are under attack for major deficiencies. Testbiotech found out that crucial scientific findings had not been taken into account by EFSA when assessing the risks of Maize 1507 for non- target organisms. Upon request, EFSA admitted that data on the impact on soil organisms was missing (http://www.testbiotech.org/en/node/427). Now EFSA wants to introduce a new publication on statistical methods that was developed by their own GMO-experts. Additional information from the Member States on non- target organisms will also be requested. The new EFSA opinion is expected to be published in March.

New opinions/ Others
EFSA did not release any new opinions.

A study was published written by external experts on “Defining Environmental Risk Assessment Criteria for Genetically Modified (GM) Mammals and Birds to be placed on the EU market” (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/doc/107e.pdf). Previously external experts had already been asked to draw up dossiers on genetically engineered fish (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/scdoc/69e.htm) and insects (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/scdoc/71e.htm).

Corinne Lepage, the Rapporteur in European Parliament published a first draft of her report on the Commission´s proposal to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in their territory (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5865512&language=en).

Ongoing consultations
Testbiotech commented on the “Guidance Document on Selection of Comparators for the Risk Assessment of GM Plants” (http://www.testbiotech.de/node/448) and on “Scientific Opinion on Guidance on the risk assessment of genetically modified microorganisms and their derived food and feed products.” (http://www.testbiotech.de/node/447) Both consultations are closed, a hearing on the choice of comparators will be held by EFSA at the end of March (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/events/event/gmo110331-a.pdf).