Euro Commission shies away from crucial decisions on GMOs
06 May 2008
The European Commission has once again failed to show leadership on GMOs, according to UK Green MEP Caroline Lucas, after it again shied away from making crucial decisions this morning on the fate of a number of applications by GM companies.
Dr Lucas MEP said: "The constant indecision and the shirking of responsibility on GM crops within the European Commission is embarrassing. The Commission has failed to take its role in risk-management seriously by once again delaying the decision to ban insect resistant bt-maize variants 1507 and bt11.
"Instead of enacting the ban proposed by Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, the Commission compromised and decided to send back the files to the EFSA, which has already proven its incapacity to judge long-term effects.
"I welcome the fact that the Commission has so far refused to authorise the genetically modified starch potato Amflora, produced by BASF. However, yet again, by sending back the application to EFSA the main problem has not been solved.
"EFSA has already ignored an argument against the use of Amflora by the European Medicines Agency. The existing conflict can only be solved if the Commission assumes a clear position and takes the precautionary principle seriously, thus taking into account the fact that no conclusive long-term studies yet exist, and so banning the crop altogether.
"The Commission can no longer hide behind EFSA and delay important decisions on GMOs. Sending back these files for reconsideration is a farce and weakens the standing of the Commission itself."
Dr Lucas concluded: "The reform of EFSA is long overdue. It is obvious that EFSA has failed to do a proper risk-analysis of GM products and various member states are asking for a total reassessment. The Commission has to eliminate the weaknesses of EFSA in order to ensure that it does not weaken the credibility of the Commission."
