Media briefing – GMO orientation debate
Environment Council 20 October 2008
On Monday 20 October, EU environment ministers will have a policy debate on
genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The French Presidency has launched a debate on the review of the EU's GMO
authorisation system. Representatives from each member state have already met three
times in an ‘ad hoc working group on GMOs’ in order to prepare today’s orientation
debate. Ministers will discuss the preliminary outcomes of these meetings and start
working towards the adoption of final conclusions at the 4 December environment
Council.
The French Presidency put forward three questions to be answered by ministers:
– Should new and binding guidelines be prepared in order to guarantee a more
accurate environmental assessment of GM plants?
– Should we develop a methodological framework to identify relevant socio-economic
criteria?
– Is the current system sufficient to protect sensitive and protected areas from GMO
contamination?
Other items that are likely to be discussed by ministers are thresholds for GM
contamination in seeds and testing protocols for herbicide-tolerant and pesticideproducing GM crops.
Why is this debate important?
GMOs are heavily promoted by the agro-biotech industry as the answer to the socalled food crisis. In effect, other non-GM, more modern sustainable farming models
could make a difference, particularly in the developing world. GMOs actually pose a
major threat to food security due to their adverse effects on biodiversity, their
continuous contamination of conventional crops, the agro-biotech companies’ control of
the global seeds market and their heavy-handed tactics surrounding GMO patenting
rights (see: ‘Food security and climate change’ and ‘Who will feed the world’).
EU risk assessment needs substantial reform. The European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA), the only EU body upon which GMO authorisations are currently based, does
not fulfil EU legal requirements for GMO risk assessment. Long-term effects of GMOs,
detrimental impacts on biodiversity, diverging scientific opinions and concerns raised
by member states are some of the aspects that are not considered by the agency.
EFSA itself has acknowledged its shortcomings by agreeing to a two-year mandate to
develop its expertise on the assessment of long-term environmental effects of GMOs
(see: ‘EU GMO risk assessment needs reforming’).
There is growing scientific evidence of the health and environmental impacts of
genetically modified crops. Recently published peer reviewed studies point to
numerous unexpected effects of GM cultivation (see: ‘GM crops: too many risks to
ignore’).
The current EU legislative framework requires the consideration in the authorisation
process of socio-economic factors, but these are de facto ignored. According to EU
law, decision-makers must consider all available scientific evidence and socioeconomic implications, and not only EFSA opinions. Changes in agricultural practices,
loss of traditional farming knowledge and the implications of contamination are only
some of the “legitimate factors” that must be considered during the authorisation of
GMOs.
What is the likely outcome?
The EU can play a leading role in addressing the real solutions that will guarantee safe
and secure food and agriculture in the EU and globally.
However, EU member states are highly divided when it comes to the GMO issues.
Some countries, such as Austria, Hungary, France, Greece, Luxembourg and Cyprus,
often highlight scientific concerns, the impacts of GMOs on agriculture and the
inadequacy of the EU authorisation system. On the other hand, other countries, such
as the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden, Finland and Spain, strongly support the
introduction of GMOs and defend business interests that clearly have no regard for
science, the EU regulatory system or public opposition to GMOs. In spite of this
division, ministers are likely to have a fierce debate at the environment Council. A
protracted stalemate on GMOs will be a clear indication that ministers are not willing to
address food safety and security.
Greenpeace demands
Greenpeace urges environment ministers to agree on a meaningful set of measures to
reform the EU's flawed GMO authorisation system. Until a fundamental reform is
agreed, Greenpeace calls for the suspension of the authorisation system.
In particular, Greenpeace urges ministers to:
– Ensure that long term environmental and health impacts are considered in the
authorisation process, and that EFSA’s risk assessment is put on hold until this is
the case.
– Involve environmental scientists and ecologists in the risk assessment process.
– Ensure that the environmental and health effects caused by an increased use in
herbicides in conjunction with herbicide-tolerant GM crops are fully assessed.
– Guarantee that conventional and organic seed varieties are kept free of any GMO
contamination.
– Ensure that the negative socio-economic impacts of GM crops are taken into
account during the authorisation process.
– Give member states and local authorities the right to establish GMO-free areas.
All briefings mentioned above are available at www.greenpeace.eu