EC: Evaluation of GMO Legislation

As part of an ongoing review launched in 2009, the European Commission has published two commissioned reports evaluating the EU's legislative framework on the cultivation of GMOs, and on GMO food and feed. While concluding that there is general support for the legislation's main objectives, including the protection of health and the environment, both reports also point to necessary adjustments to increase overall efficiency. Such adjustments include:
- the need to further harmonize risk assessment processes;
- the need for more flexibility on GMO cultivation;
- compilation of technical information on the socio-economic implications of GMO cultivation;
- reinforcement of monitoring activities;
- assessment of new plant breeding techniques; and
- addressing the technical problem of low level presence of unauthorized GMOs.

Reports: Evaluation of the EU Legislative Framework in the Field of Cultivation of GMOs]  Evaluation of the EU Legislative Framework in the Field of GM Food and Feed

ECJ: GMO Ruling

In reference to a case regarding the detection of GMO pollen in honey, the European Court of Justice has ruled that products containing pollen derived from genetically modified organisms have to be considered the same as foodstuffs produced from GMOs, and cannot be sold without prior authorization.

EFSA: GM Post-market Monitoring

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released an updated version of its guidance document on post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) of genetically modified (GM) plants, which is a key element of the EU legislative policy framework on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), complementing the elements of risk assessment and risk management. Under EU legislation, applications for the cultivation of GM plants must contain a detailed PMEM plan, demonstrating how the GM plant will be monitored for possible adverse effects on human health and the environment.

EU: GMOs and Member States

The European Parliament has voted for a proposal that would allow EU member States to ban or restrict the use of GMOs based on environmental grounds, such as pesticide resistance, the invasiveness of certain crops and a threat to biodiversity. It would add environmental reasons to a list of grounds based on which member States could restrict or ban GMO cultivation previously developed by the EU Commission as part of a reform of the current Directive regulating GMO approval at EU level. The proposal is expected to give member States better legal protection in the event of challenges to a decision to ban GMOs under international trade law.

EU Parliament Press Release

Aahrus Convention: MOP-4

MOP-4 took place from 29 June-1 July in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova) and marked the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Aarhus Convention. The session's decisions addressed, inter alia: access to justice; access to information; public participation in national decision-making as well as in international forums; GMOs; compliance; other procedures and mechanisms facilitating implementation; and promotion of the Convention, including the procedure for accession to the Convention by States from outside the region of the UNECE.

A high-level segment focused on the role of the Aarhus Convention in promoting sustainable development, in connection with UNCSD (Rio+20), providing an opportunity to discuss how the implementation of the Aarhus Convention has helped to enhance good governance and sustainable development across the region and beyond. The segment culminated with the adoption of the Chisinau Declaration “Rio Plus Aarhus – 20 Years on: Bearing Fruit and Looking Forward."

EC: GMOs and Animal Feed

The European Commission has adopted a regulation to harmonize implementation of the zero tolerance policy on non-authorized genetically modified (GM) material in feed with a "technical zero" at the level of 0.1 percent. The regulation is limited to GM feed material for which an authorization procedure is pending in the EU, or for which an authorization has expired. In addition, this material has to fulfill a set of criteria, which is also outlined in the regulation.

Press Release

Questions and Answers offered by the Commission

EFSA: Risk Assessment of GM Microorganisms

The European Food Safety Authority has released an updated guidance document for the risk assessment of genetically modified microorganisms (GMMOs) and their derived products intended for food and feed use

European Commision: GMO Debate

The EC has made available the speeches and presentations given during a public debate on risk assessment and management of genetically modified organisms, held on 17 March. The resource document contains the agenda of the debate with the names of participating experts and the titles of statements by experts. The presentations are accessible via hyperlinks included in the document. [Agenda and Presentations] [Opening Speech by EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli] [Debate Webstream]

EU: Opinion on GMO Restrictions

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has released an Opinion regarding a proposal that would allow EU member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation in their territory of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that have been approved at EU level. If approved, the proposal would create a regulation of the European Parliament and EU Council to amend the current GMO directive of the EU.