EU

[img_assist|nid=19|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=150|height=65]Geen twee maanden nadat Greenpeace illegale contaminatie van maïs pellets in de haven van Rotterdam ontdekte, heeft de EU Commissie nu geprobeerd het probleem op te lossen, door de maïs Herculex RW (59122) als veevoer en voedingsmiddel toe te laten. De verantwoordelijke commissie ging er maandag niet mee akkoord.

In april is illegale contaminatie in maïs uit de VS in de havens van Rotterdam en Dublin gevonden: maïs voor veevoer was besmet met de gentech maïs Herculex RW (DAS-59122), die in de EU niet toegelaten is. Contaminatie met deze maïs is dus verboden - onafhankelijk ervan hoe groot deze contaminatie is.

Verrassend snel heeft nu de EU Commissie geprobeerd het probleem op te lossen: op maandag 25 Juni, geen 2 maanden nadat de Herculex RW ontdekt was, stelde de EU Commissie aan het verantwoordelijke comité (Permanent Comité voor de Voedselketen en de Diergezondheid) voor, deze maïs voor de import als veevoer en voedsel toe te laten. De aanvraag voor de import van Herculex RW als veevoer was, zo als aanvragen voor andere gentech-gewassen ook, al langer ingediend, maar dat de EU Commissie Herculex RW juist nu op de agenda zette, lijkt toch voor al met de aktuelle ontdekkingen te maken hebben. Als de import van Herculex RW toegestaan zoude zijn, dan zou contaminatie alleen nog een vraag van etikettering zijn en gecontamineerde maïs zou niet meer naar de VS teruggestuurd of vernietigd hoeven te worden.

[img_assist|nid=19|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=150|height=65]Only less than two months after Greenpeace had detected illegal contamination of maize pellets in the harbour of Rotterdam, the EU commission tried to solve the problem by approving the maize Herculex RW (59122) as feed and food. The Standing Committee however did not agree with that on Monday.

In April, illegal contamination was detected in US maize in the harbours of Rotterdam and Dubin: maize feed was contaminated with the GM maize Herculex RW (DAS-59122) that is not approved in the EU. Contamination with this maize is therefore forbidden - no matter how big that contamination is.

The EU Commission then surprisingly fast tried to solve the problem: On monday 25 June, less then two months after Herculex RW was detected, the EU commission asked the Standing Committee for Foodchain and Animal Safety to approve of the import of this maize as food and feed. Just for a number of other GM crops, the application for Herculex RW EU import as feed had already been handed in a while ago, but the fact that the EU Commission decided to put Herculex RW on the agenda at this moment seem to be related to the latest findings. If the import of Herculex RW would be allowed, then contamination would only be a question of labelling and contaminated maize shipments would not anymore be send back to the US or destroyed by EU authorities.

[img_assist|nid=6|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=150|height=65]BASF's GM potato Amflora is now referred to the European Medicines Agency because according to WHO information the antibiotic resistance relates to a group of antibiotics that are much more widely used then assumed by the EFSA.

from Agrarfacts, 21 February 2007:

"GM Potato authorisation referred to European Medicines Agency

[img_assist|nid=108|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=100|height=43]On 20 February 2007, the EU Environmental Ministers are supposed to decide on an application by BASF for the cultivation of a genetically modified potato. BASF seems to be optimistic that this application will be approved: the company already registered in January more then 150 hectares in the German states Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for commercial cultivation. But somehow nobody seems to raise this issue, nobody seems to oppose it.

A. Lorch, GID 180 Februar 2007.

[img_assist|nid=108|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=100|height=43]Bei der EU liegt ein Zulassungsantrag von BASF für den Anbau einer gentechnisch veränderten Kartoffel vor, über den die EU-UmweltministerInnen am 20. Februar entscheiden sollen. Die BASF scheint zuversichtlich, hat sie doch bereits Mitte Januar über 150 Hektar für den Anbau in Brandenburg und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern angemeldet. Und dennoch regt sich kein Sturm der Entrüstung, geht kaum jemand auf die Barrikaden. Fünf gute Gründe, sich dennoch gegen die Zulassung der BASF-Gentech-Kartoffeln zu engagieren.

A. Lorch, GID 180 Februar 2007.

[img_assist|nid=108|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=100|height=43]BASF applied for approval for the cultivation of the GM starch potato Amflora, as well as for its use as food and feed. Even though the application does not include any sufficient information to evaluate its environmental and food/feed safety, the EFSA gave a positive opinion.

Approval for BASF's starch potato Amflora (EH92-527-1) is sought under Directive 2001/18 for cultivation only, but an additional application has been filed under Regulation 1829/2003 for approval as food and feed.1

Edited version of comments submitted to EFSA's 'Open consultation on Starch potato EH92-527-1', December 2006.

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