Monsanto pulls back EU applications for cultivation of genetically engineered plants

Brussels 18 July 2013. According to news agency Reuters, Monsanto will withdraw its EU applications for cultivation of genetically engineered plants. The announcement concerns seven applications, one for soybean, one for sugarbeets and five for maize. Only the application for renewal of authorisation of maize MON810 will be uphold. Six applications which are close to market EU authorisation for cultivation concern herbicide resistant Roundup Ready soybean (Soybean 40-3-2) and Roundup Ready maize (NK603), one maize with synthical insecticidal proteins (MON89034) and three maize events with a combination of insecticidal poteins and herbicide resistance (NK603 x MON810; MON89034 x MON88017; MON88017). Further, Monsanto had filed an application for cultivation of herbicide tolerant Roundup Ready sugarbeets (H7-1).

The announcement of Monsanto does not concern applications for authorisation of import of genetically engineered plants and its usage in food and feed such as SmartStax.

There are five other applications for cultivation of genetically engineered maize being close to the EU authorisation from companies Pioneer, Dow AgroSciences and Syngenta.