EU overhauls GM approval procedures

The European commission has backed new plans to improve the legitimacy of EU risk assessment procedures for GM products.

Commissioners gave the nod to “practical improvements” to reform the EU’s controversial GM approvals system, during a biotech policy debate on Wednesday.

“We have a series of practical measures designed to restore member states confidence in the GM authorisation system,” said a commission spokesman.

Reforms pushed put forward by health and environment commissioners Markos Kyprianou and Stavros Dimas focus on improving the transparency and working methods of the EU’s food safety watchdog, the European Food Safety Authority.

The Parma based EU agency has been heavily slated for failing to listen to national concerns and over the quality scientific data on GM products destined for EU markets.

“The commission hears the message that member states want more scientific consistency and transparency,” said the spokesman.

“But this is a two way street. Member states must also comply with their responsibilities.”

A number of national governments have either voted against or abstained from approving GM authorisations, largely due to alleged concerns over EFSA decisions.

This has led to a voting stalemate on approvals with neither side in the EU’s council of ministers obtaining the necessary qualified majority to approve or reject GM products.

The deadlock results in a bureaucratic ‘comitology’ procedure that sees the commission automatically rubber stamping approvals.

The commission spokesman said the overarching aim of the proposal was to “promote a consensus and achieve clear majorities” among member states.

EFSA will be tasked with liaising more fully with national scientific bodies, which the commission hopes will help to resolve diverging scientific opinions early on in the approvals process.

The agency will also have to give detailed justifications for rejecting scientific objections from member states.

Proposed measures will stay within the existing legal framework on GM, and will not unduly delay the authorisation process, - a worry aired by several commissioners including trade chief Peter Mandelson, according to commission sources.

Research commissioner Janez Potocnik also raised concerns over whether trying to assess the possible long term affects on biodiversity and environment – another proposed measure - was asking the impossible and stretching science too far.

Other commissioners argued that the proposed improvements would have little effect on national positions on GM.

But a commission source said that clearer and more open decisions on GM could tempt some member states off the fence. 

“Clearer decisions from EFSA may make member states more comfortable when they come to vote” said the source.

The two most controversial ‘practical improvements’ concern situations where the commission could step in to overrule an EFSA decision.

“The commission will address specific risks … on a case by case basis additional proportionate risk management measures in draft decisions to place GMO products on the market,” said the commission in a press release.

What these additional proportionate risk management measures would consist of are as yet unknown, according to one commission official.

And the new proposals could see the commission step in and suspend specific approvals if it believes that new scientific evidence has not been fully addressed by EFSA.

“The commission may suspend the procedure and refer back the question for further consideration.”

Commission sources were unclear exactly how long any suspensions would last.

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