Archived press release

European Commission approves GM rape

31 August 2005

The European Commission today approved the import of Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape, making it available for food and animal feed across the EU [1]. The decision came despite the UK, along with the majority of Member States, failing to support the application, and a loophole that could lead to illegal seed spills into the environment. Friends of the Earth condemned the decision and is calling on the Government to impose a national ban on the oilseed rape.

The GM oilseed rape (GT73), is resistant to Monsanto's own herbicide. The majority of EU Member States voted against the application last year, or abstained, because of unanswered questions over safety and impact on the environment [2]. These included the effects on the liver weights of rats fed the oilseed rape [3] and the likelihood and impact of seed spills into the environment.

In addition, recent UK Government research has reported the discovery of the first genetically modified `superweed' - the result of GM oilseed rape cross-breeding with a common weed (Charlock) in the UK farm scale trials [4]. This raises further questions over the environmental impact if spilt GM oilseed rape seed germinates and cross breeds with other plants.

However, the Commission ignored these concerns and pushed the approval through on the basis of an opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). And although the Commission accepted that seed spills are an area of concern, it failed to specify measures to safeguard against this

[5]. Instead it has included a simple recommendation that Monsanto will be free to disregard.

Friends of the Earth is calling on the UK Government to use the provisions in EU law to impose national bans on the GM seed [6].

Friends of the Earth's GM Campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said:

"Not only has the Commission ignored the opinion of 19 European Environment Ministers and recent scientific findings, but it is also allowing Monsanto to decide whether our countryside is contaminated. It is disgraceful that once again the Commission has failed to act to protect the environment. The UK Government did not support this approval. Now it must take matters into its own hand and impose a national ban on this GM seed."

Notes

[1] Today's decision covers industrial processing and animal feed uses of GT73. GT73 was previously authorised for processing as oils for human food use under the old Novel Foods regulation (258/97) which has since been replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003. See Commission press release.

[2] In the first vote on the application to import GT73 oilseed rape (regulatory committee, June 2004), the UK voted against the application. In the last vote (Council of Environment Ministers meeting, December 2004), the UK abstained. Because only a simple majority was reached and a qualified majority was required to stop the approval of GT73, the decision reverted to the European Commission.

EU Ministers Block Monsanto's GM Oilseed Rape

This is how each country voted in December:

For: SK, SE, FR, PT, FI, NL (78 votes)

Against: IT, GR, DK, PO, MT, BE, HU, LT, LV, CY, AT, EE, LU (135 votes)

Abstention: IE, SI, ES, DE, CZ, UK (108 votes)

[3] The official UK Government advisors on GM foods and feeds - ACRE and ACAF - have said that they are not satisfied with the explanation that Monsanto has provided for the observed increased liver weight in rats fed GT73. They are are not convinced by EFSA's assurance that GT73 ''is as safe as conventional oilseed rape for humans and animals, and in the context of the proposed uses, for the environment.'' ACAF says it can only draw such conclusion "on receipt of satisfactory data from a

further rat-feeding study using 15 per cent. oilseed rape meal." Source: Statement by Mr. Elliot Morely, UK Minister for the Environment and Agri-Environment. In: minutes of the UK's European Standing Committee A, Tuesday 2 November 2004

[4] Government Study Finds UK's First GM 'Superweed'

[5] Official Journal of the European Union, June 2005 (L-164 page 57)

[6] The safeguard clause - Article 23, Directive 2001/18/EC

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust