testbiotech

Several organisations such as the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) are filing a complaint against a decision of the EU Commission to authorise a new genetically engineered Monsanto soybean. The soybeans will be mostly sold and grown in Brazil under the brand name Intacta, the harvest will be imported to the EU for use in food and feed. The new genetically engineered soybean expresses an insecticidal protein and is resistant to the herbicide glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup. The EU gave permission for use of the soybeans in food and feed at end of June. However, the European Food Safety Authority EFSA has not carried out the risk assessments for this product in the way as legally required. This is evident from a technical dossier compiled by Testbiotech and from a legal dossier that will be filed to the Commission. The complaint will be been filed under EU regulation 1367/2006, which means there is a chance that the European Court of Justice may become involved on a later stage.

Recent investigations reveal that new approvals for the cultivation of genetically engineered crops in Europe in 2012 are unlikely. The Commission returned the dossiers for three maize lines to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). MON810, Bt11 and maize 1507 have all been considered safe by EFSA numerous times. In a letter to the EU Commission, EFSA announces a new opinion on maize MON810 till December.

Munich/ Brussels, 6.7. 2012 On 27 June, without public communciation, the EU Commission authorised a genetically engineered soy with a combination of gene constructs. Soy MON87701 x MON89788 produces an insecticidal Bt protein and is tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate. It is the first time that a genetically engineered soy with stacked gene constructs has been authorised in the EU for usage in food and feed. Monsanto wants to market these soybeans under the brand name „Intacta“. It will be grown and harvested in Brazil and then imported to the EU.