Tag: GM food

A controversial study pointing to health risks from a type of genetically modified maize and a related pesticide did not provide grounds for questioning previous safety approvals, the French government said on Monday (22 October). But Paris also urged the EU to revamp its food safety procedures and said it would maintain its national moratorium on GM goods.

Europe's biotech industry must engage with the public on controversial issues like genetically-modified foods and cloning, according to John Dalli, the EU's health commissioner.

Despite voicing concerns about foodstuffs containing genetically modified ingredients, a new EU-funded study found that in reality consumers will actually buy these products.

European nations, which use more than twice the amount of resources available on their territories, need to factor ecological assets into their national accounting systems in order to prevent ecological bankruptcy, says Mathis Wackernagel of the Global Footprint Network. He spoke with EurActiv in an interview.

European agriculture ministers were unable to reach any kind of agreement regarding five requests for approval of new strains of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), highlighting strong divisions with regard to the benefits and dangers of these controversial products.

Unless the EU closes the gap between its own GMO-approval system and those of feed-exporting countries such as US, Argentina and Brazil, "hungry cows", "struggling farmers" and trade disputes at the WTO will become commonplace, warned Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

The World Trade Organisation has confirmed a ruling against the EU in a case brought by the US and other nations against a de facto moratorium on genetically modified products.

A study examining the feasibility and costs of the EU avoiding GMOs in food and feed claims that this policy will result in higher consumer food prices.

Just in time for enlargement, the Commission has put in place a network of research laboratories to detect GMOs in food and feed and help enforce the new labelling rules across Europe.

The issue of authorising the GM maize variety NK604 for import into the EU has failed to secure the necessary majority in the EU's Regulatory Committee and will therefore be referred back to the Council, which has three months to decide.

The EU's regulatory committee has deferred a decision on whether or not to approve the import of a sweet corn which has been genetically modified to produce its own insecticide.