Brussels, Belgium — In response to the European Commission’s authorisation today of three genetically modified maize
varieties produced by US company Monsanto, Eric Gall, GMO policy adviser for Greenpeace, said:
"Christmas is over but the Commission is handing Monsanto a belated gift by approving three of the company's genetically modified maizes for sale in Europe. This amounts to a reward to Monsanto for its sustained efforts to cover up feeding trial data and contaminate conventional and organic farming around the world."
The maize varieties approved were: GA21 (tolerant to herbicide) and MON863, both approved for use in food; while the hybrid MON863xMON810, which produces two insecticide toxins, was approved for import and processing.
"Greenpeace is particularly concerned about the safety of MON863 maize, which triggered health problems in rats. The story of MON863 highlights all the flaws of the GMO authorisation process in the EU, which is marked by a lack of transparency, poor risk assessment, contempt for the democratic process and a preference for treating EU citizens as guinea pigs," said Eric Gall.
Background
It took more than a year for Greenpeace to gain access to the controversial MON863 feeding study trial on rats, classified by Monsanto as 'confidential business information' and finally made public by a German court in June 2005. Neither the Commission nor the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have replied to the detailed criticisms expressed by independent scientists regarding this product's risk assessment. They should, at least, have ordered a new analysis of the health effects observed in rats. Greenpeace has commissioned independent scientists to re-analyse the rat study data. [1]
Greenpeace has also, since September 2005, been requesting from the Commission access to Monsanto's feeding studies on MON863xMON810. To date, the studies are similarly classified as 'confidential business information', preventing an independent assessment of this GMO's safety and the quality of its risk assessment, performed by the EFSA. [2]
Greenpeace demands:
- no GMO releases in the environment;
- more transparency on GMO decisions and full access to company data on risk assessments;
- a better implementation of the EU GMO legislation and re-organisation of the work of the EFSA GMO panel, to make the scientific evaluation of GMOs stricter, more independent and more transparent.
Other contacts:
Eric Gall, Greenpeace European Unit, GMO policy adviser, +32 496 16 15 82
Katharine Mill, Greenpeace European Unit, media officer, +32 2 274 1903/+32 496 156 229
Notes:
See Monsanto 863 briefing paper (updated January 2006) http://www.greenpeace.eu/downloads/gmo/MON863briefing0601.pdf
[1] 11 Member States voted against the authorisation to import and use GM maize MON863 in food last 24 October (11 in favour, 3 abstained). 14
Member States voted against the authorisation to import and use GM maize MON863 in feed (7 in favour, 4 abstained), but the Commission
authorised it on 8 August 2005. According to the rules used to authorise GMOs in the EU (comitology procedure), only a qualified majority of Member
States can prevent the Commission from authorising a GMO.
[2] 14 Environment Ministers voted against the authorisation of MON863xMON810 last 2 December, 8 in favour, 3 abstained.