EFSA GMO Watch January 2012

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News

Testbiotech filed a comment on EFSA's opinion on Syngenta maize GA21 for cultivation see http://www.testbiotech.de/node/606

Votes

On 17 January 2012, the Appeal Committee set up under Regulation (EC) No. 182/2011 voted on four genetically engineered soy events:
  • Roundup Ready soybean 40-3-2 produced by Monsanto, which has been made tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate;
  • Basta Soybean A5547-127 produced by Bayer CropScience, which has been made tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate;
  • Bt-Soybean MON87701 produced by Monsanto, which is the first transgenic soybean on the market that produces an insecticidal protein; and
  • Optimum GAT Soybean 356043 produced by DuPont/Pioneer, which has been made tolerant to two different herbicides, glyphosate and ALS-inhibitors
Testbiotech and Friends of the Earth, Europe, wrote a letter to MS, exposing deficiencies in risk assessment of EFSA: http://www.testbiotech.org/en/node/603 The applications did not attain a majority vote. Member states voted as follows: on soybean MON87701 (Monsanto)
  • in favour: Cz, Dk, De, Es, Est, Fin, Ir, Mal, NL, Port, Ro, Svk, Swe, UK
  • against: Au, Be, Cyp, Gre, Hu, Lat, Lith, Lux, Pol, Sln
  • abstained: Bu, It, Fr
on soybean DP356043 (Pioneer)
  • in favour: Cz, Dk, De, Es, Est, Fin, Ir, Mal, NL, Port, Ro, Svk, Swe, UK
  • against: Au, Bu, Cyp, Gre, Hu, Lat, Lith, Lux, Pol, Sln
  • abstained: Be, It, Fr
    • on soybean A5547-127 (Bayer CropScience)
  • in favour: Cz, Dk, De, Es, Est, Fin, Ir, Mal, NL, Port, Ro, Svk, Swe, UK
  • against: Au, Cyp, Fr, Gre, Hu, Lat, Lith, Lux, Pol, Sln
  • abstained: Be, Bu, It,
on soybean 40-3-2 (Monsanto)
  • in favour: Cz, Dk, De, Es, Est, Fin, Ir, Mal, NL, Port, Ro, Svk, Swe, UK
  • against: Au, Cyp, Gre, Hu, Lat, Lith, Lux, Pol,
  • abstained: Be, Bu, Fr, It, Sln
It is likely that the EU Commission will now authorise these events.

New authorisations

In December 2011, the Commission authorised Syngenta stacked maize events which combine insect- resistant traits with herbicide tolerance for usage in food and feed:
  • MIR604 x GA21,
  • Bt11 x MIR604 and
  • Bt11 x MIR604 x GA21
Further authorisations was awarded to the genetically engineered stacked cotton event produced by Dow AgroSciences for use in food and feed with insect resistance (Cry1F and Cry1Ac) and tolerance to glufosinate:
  • DAS 281-24-236 x 3006-210-23