The EU has approved GMOs only on a handful of occasions, and a de-facto approval moratorium for approving new GMO crops has been in place since 1998, largely in response to NGO pressure and public concern about the potential health risks of GMOs.
- BASF's potato
The potato in question is a blue variety that is used primarily for industrial starch production. Developed by German chemicals giant BASF, the potato is intended for use in the production of glossy magazine covers, for example.
In April 2004, BASF requested authorisation of the potato, and the Commission published a favorable decision in December 2006, following a scientific assessment by EFSA, which concluded that cultivation of the potato did not pose any "relevant" health risks.
- Antibiotic resistance
In addition to starch enhancing genes, the potato contains antibiotic-resistant marker genes (ARMGs).
Public health watchdogs and environmental NGOs are concerned that ARMGs might be transferred from plants to bacteria, thus rendering bacteria resistant to antibiotics and undermining the effectiveness of antibiotics for treating certain infections in humans.
Another concern is that if parts of the potato, such as skins and other non-starch parts, are also used to feed livestock (as requested by BASF), then the GMO would ultimately enter the food chain on a more widespread basis.
