Biotech Updates

Deliberate Release of GM Plants in the EU

February 20, 2009

Several genetically modified crops are scheduled for non-commercial release in the European Union. These include:

  • MON 89034 × NK603 and MON 89034 × MON 88017 for the use in field trials in Czech Republic and Germany
  • Genetically modified potatoes with altered starch composition, developed by BASF, and Vesa Velhartice's late-blight resistant potatoes for limited release in Czech Republic
  • Syngenta's Bt 11 and Monsanto's NK603 maize hybrids in Slovak Republic
  • Monsanto's NK603, a maize variety resistant to glyphosate herbicides, and its stacked-trait hybrids for agronomic testing in Spain
  • GM wheat developed by Justus-Liebig-University to study the effects of transgenic crops on beneficial fungal microorganisms in Germany
  • University of Rostock's transgenic potato varieties expressing viral protein 60 of rabbit the haemorraghic disease virus and a sub-unit of the cholera toxin.

Environmental risk assessments have indicated that the releases pose negligible risk to human health and safety or to the environment. The applicants are bound to adopt certain measures to prevent the escape of GM plant materials.

Visit http://gmoinfo.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ for the latest GMO notification in Europe.