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EU approves low level adventitious presence in GM products no longer on the market
Posted by: Prof. Dr. M. Raupp (IP Logged)
Date: March 29, 2007 08:33AM
www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz
The EU Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health voted in
favour of a 0.9% threshold for the low level adventitious presence of five
GM products that are no longer commercially available, March 2007.
The threshold applies to the five "first-generation" GM crops that are no
longer sold by Bayer, Monsanto and Syngenta, as improved products have
replaced these. Since the companies no longer market these crops anywhere in
the world, they are not seeking renewal for EU market approval. However, the
Commission has recognised that "minute traces" of these 5 GM products "might
remain present in food or feed products for a certain period of time".
EuropaBio has previously proposed the establishment of adventitious presence
thresholds for such GMOs in food and feed products and is very pleased to
see that this week?s proposal marks a decisive step in the right direction.
Under European legislation, approvals for these products would have expired
next month. Since the companies are not seeking further approvals of these
products in the EU, the Standing Committee has proposed to formally
"withdraw" the products from the market. According to standard procedure,
today the European Commission explained these proposals to the European
Parliament?s Environment Committee (?droit de regard?), a final decision on
the proposals is expected to follow within the next five weeks.
Meanwhile, EuropaBio?s member companies remain fully committed to developing
improved crop varieties using genetic modification. When approved by the EU?
s regulators for placing on the market these will complement those existing
GM crops that have, since 1998, seen an increasing yearly demand from, and
been grown by, an increasing number farmers in European Member States.
EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 78 direct members
operating Worldwide, 12 associate members and 5 bioregions as well as 25
national biotechnology associations representing some 1800 small and medium
sized enterprises involved in research and development, testing,
manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.
[www.europabio.org]
The EU Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health voted in
favour of a 0.9% threshold for the low level adventitious presence of five
GM products that are no longer commercially available, March 2007.
The threshold applies to the five "first-generation" GM crops that are no
longer sold by Bayer, Monsanto and Syngenta, as improved products have
replaced these. Since the companies no longer market these crops anywhere in
the world, they are not seeking renewal for EU market approval. However, the
Commission has recognised that "minute traces" of these 5 GM products "might
remain present in food or feed products for a certain period of time".
EuropaBio has previously proposed the establishment of adventitious presence
thresholds for such GMOs in food and feed products and is very pleased to
see that this week?s proposal marks a decisive step in the right direction.
Under European legislation, approvals for these products would have expired
next month. Since the companies are not seeking further approvals of these
products in the EU, the Standing Committee has proposed to formally
"withdraw" the products from the market. According to standard procedure,
today the European Commission explained these proposals to the European
Parliament?s Environment Committee (?droit de regard?), a final decision on
the proposals is expected to follow within the next five weeks.
Meanwhile, EuropaBio?s member companies remain fully committed to developing
improved crop varieties using genetic modification. When approved by the EU?
s regulators for placing on the market these will complement those existing
GM crops that have, since 1998, seen an increasing yearly demand from, and
been grown by, an increasing number farmers in European Member States.
EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 78 direct members
operating Worldwide, 12 associate members and 5 bioregions as well as 25
national biotechnology associations representing some 1800 small and medium
sized enterprises involved in research and development, testing,
manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.
[www.europabio.org]
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