Statement on Commission vote of no confidence in EU food safety authority

Marco Contiero, Greenpeace EU GMO campaign director, said: "Today's decisions are a huge vote of no confidence in the EU food authority and vindicate environment commissioner Stavros Dimas' concerns about scientific inconsistencies in the EU GMO assessment. The incoming commissioner for health Androulla Vassiliou will need additional resources in order to improve EFSA's scientific expertise and the consistency of its work."

"If the Commission has no qualms with EFSA, then why is it asking it to review three products for the third time? EFSA has always found in favour of GMOs and relies entirely on data from the agro-chemical industry. By sending back the three GM plants today the Commission has found that its food safety authority cannot be fully trusted although it does not dare to say so."