Nov 3, 2008

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Ban on cultivating MON810 maize in France

EFSA: “No new evidence to justify a ban on cultivation.”

The ban on the cultivation of genetically modified MON810 maize which has been in force in France since the start of 2008 is not scientifically justified. This is the conclusion reached after a re-assessment of MON810 maize, which was carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) at the request of the European Commission. There are also no new findings concerning the environmental safety of two other strains of genetically modified maize, Bt11 and 1507.

Maize flowers: Bt pollen harmful to bees?

From the EFSA statement: “The GMO Panel considers that the low exposure level of Cry1Ab containing pollen combined with its low toxicity is unlikely to result in any adverse effects on honeybees under normal apicultural conditions. In addition, available scientific evidence gathered from laboratory and semi-field studies does not demonstrate impacts of maize MON810 pollen on honeybees. Claims and documents provided by France do not provide any new or additional scientific evidence that would invalidate previous risk assessments of maize MON810.”

In January 2008 the French government had issued a nationwide ban on cultivating MON810 maize, which has been authorised for cultivation in the EU since 1998, claiming that there were “serious doubts” as to its safety. France had invoked a safeguard clause in the EU Directive (2001/18) on the release of GMOs into the environment, and had submitted various current scientific publications to the EU Commission in support of its claim. These referred to a number of investigations and literature surveys on the possible effects of MON810 maize on various non-target organisms as well as possible health risks.

The Commission then asked EFSA to examine the studies cited by France for new findings concerning safety. The EFSA panel of experts responsible for this evaluation completed its deliberations on 29 October 2008.

The experts established that the studies submitted provided no new scientific findings which would invalidate the previous safety assessment of MON810. The French ban on cultivating MON810 was therefore not based on scientific evidence.

EFSA also reaffirmed its previous safety assessment of GM maize Bt11 and 1507. As yet, neither of these GM maize lines has been authorised by the EU Commission despite EFSA’s positive assessment, primarily because EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas doubted that all safety-related aspects had been thoroughly considered.

The Commission had submitted 11 more recent publications to EFSA for the reassessment. In its latest opinion statement, EFSA concludes that neither these studies nor additional, current scientific investigations provide any new indications that these two GM maize lines should not be authorised. An application to allow the cultivation of Bt11 and 1507 maize in the EU has been submitted.