European Commission approves ten GMOs

On Friday, the Commission authorised ten genetically modified organisms (GMOs): seven for food and feed uses (cotton GHB614xLLCotton25xMON1598, maize 5307, maize MON 87403, maize 4114, maize MON87411, maize Bt11xMIR162x1507xGA21, soybean MON87751), two renewed authorisations also for food and feed (oilseed rape Ms8xRf3 and maize 1507xNK603) and one carnation as ornamental cut flower.

All of these GMOs have been scientifically assessed comprehensively by food watschdog EFSA(European Food Safety Authority). The authorisation decisions do not cover cultivation. All Member States had the right to express their view in the Standing Committee and subsequently the Appeal Committee.

Given the outcome of the process the European Commission has the legal duty to proceed with the authorisation. The authorisations are valid for 10 years, and any products produced from these GMOs will be subject to the EU’s strict labelling and traceability rules.

According to a special Eurobarometer survey report on food safety published in June, reluctance of GMOs has more than halved since the last survey conducted in 2010. Reported concern on GMOs in food and drinks has decreased since 2010 from 66 percent to 27 percent in 2019. Of all the issues of concern in the survey, genome editing is the one with the lowest concern (4%) and awareness (22%).