Biotech Updates

Independent Reports Evaluate EU's Legislation on GMOs

November 4, 2011

Two independent reports that evaluated the European Union's legislation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) conclude that there is broad support for the legislation's objectives. The first, a 238-page document, evaluates the EU's legislative framework in the field of GM food and feed. The second, a 137-page document, focuses on the legislative framework in the area of GMOs cultivation.

"These reports confirm that the problems of implementation of the GMO legislation do not stem from its design or its objectives, which remain relevant, but rather from the way these sensitive issues are handled at a political level", Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli said. "This is why targeted solutions, such as our GMO cultivation proposal, are so important since this particular proposal addresses a very specific political need, whilst maintaining the overall rigorous EU authorization system."

In addition, the reports suggest that GMO legislation should be implemented better and that measures should carefully address certain issues.

See the press release at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1285&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en and more on the reports at http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/evaluation/index_en.htm.