Meath Chronicle (County Meath, Ireland)  [Printer-friendly version]
March 18, 2006

MINISTERS SUGGESTING MORE CHANGE FOR GM CROP RULES

[Rachel's introduction: Europe is still in considerable turmoil about
genetically modified (GM) foods. Many countries believe the
scientific uncertainties surrounding GM foods are still too large to
allow GM products to be promoted and sold. Better safe than sorry,
they say.]

EU [European Union] environment ministers have urged a shake-up of
risk assessment and decision-making procedures used to approve new
genetically-modified crops.

The development marks the latest stage in the EU's struggle to
achieve a regulatory regime for GM crops that enjoys backing from all
25 member states.

In a public debate held during their council meeting in Brussels
recently, ministers called almost unanimously for the European food
safety authority (EFSA) to improve transparency in its scientific
assessments of GM crops. Some appealed for extra assessment steps.

Several ministers urged the scrapping of comitology procedures that
have allowed the European commission to end the EU's de facto
moratorium on new GM crops despite opposition from many governments.
In most cases the commission's approval of new crops has been based on
positive scientific opinions from EFSA.

The debate was tabled by Austria, which holds the EU presidency but is
also vehemently opposed to GMOs. Vienna has defied the commission and
EFSA by imposing a national ban on several EU-approved crops, citing
scientific uncertainty.

"There are considerable shortcomings in our ability to assess GMOs,"
Spanish minister Cristina Narbona Ruiz said in opening the debate.
Most of her colleagues followed in a similar vein.

UK minister Elliot Morley offered dissent. Assessment procedures were
basically sound, he argued, though EFSA did need to be "more direct
and open" and make its opinions "more clearly presented and more
robustly argued".

Some ministers went further, urging better long-term monitoring of the
effects of new crops and more assessment of the indirect effects of GM
products. Belgium refloated the idea of an EU-wide liability and
insurance regime for damage done by GM crops.

Several member states wanted more independent verification of
scientific studies carried out by industry and a clear framework for
resolving differences of opinion between EFSA and member state
assessment bodies.

Many ministers called for greater use of the precautionary principle
in GM decisions, and for coexistence rules that would unambiguously
allow GM-free zones.

Austria is to hold conferences on both issues next month and ministers
will revisit the issue at their next meeting in June.

Potentially equally significant was the level of opposition from
several ministers to the use of EU comitology rules to approve GM
applications. The procedures, which are also used in many other areas
of EU policy, are currently under review by the EU's general affairs
council.

"We should think hard about changing the rules," Italian minister
Altero Matteoli said. "There hasn't been a simple majority of member
states in favour [of certain applications], let alone a qualified
majority, but even so the commission decides to give an approval."

Responding to the debate, EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas
said EFSA was "still finding its feet" and hinted support for changes
to risk assessment procedures.

"Certain changes may be beneficial" to make the system "as
comprehensive and transparent as possible," he said. Increasing
confidence in the scientific process first might make the comitology
procedure less contentious, he said.

[snip]

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