testbiotech

Bilder

EU Commission treating risk assessment of transgenic plants as a formality

Testbiotech requests for a revision of GE soybean and maize approvals

30 July 2021 / The EU Commission rejected a Testbiotech request for the internal review of three EU approvals. The import of the GE (genetically engineered) plants and their usage in food and feed was authorised by the EU Commission in January 2021. The transgenic plants (maize and soybean) produce insecticides and are designed to be resistant to herbicides, such as glyphosate. Testbiotech filed a request for a review of the decision in March because risk assessment was not carried out in accordance with the EU regulations.

EU Commission spreading misinformation

Testbiotech warns against disregarding scientific evidence

14 July 2021 / The EU Commission has rejected criticism of its report on plants and New GE (New Genetic Engineering, genome editing). In a letter to Testbiotech, the Commission stated that there were no new risks associated with plants derived from genetically engineered plants compared to conventionally bred plants, as long as no transgenes were inserted. The Commission is directly repeating claims made by industry and affiliated experts that are contrary to existing scientific evidence. Testbiotech is therefore warning against the spread of misinformation and disregard of science.

New GE: How to assess the environmental risks?

Scientific publication identifies important cornerstones

9 July 2021 / Experts from environmental authorities in Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland and Switzerland have published a new scientific paper that, for the first time, defines some important initial cornerstones in the environmental risk assessment of plants altered with new genomic techniques (i.e. ‘New GE’ or ‘genome editing’). The authors show that there can be no justification for only risk assessing plants with additionally inserted genes or with extensive genomic changes. Rather, all plants derived from New GE must be subjected to mandatory risk assessment.

EU Parliament: Majority against further approvals for import of genetically engineered plants

Gaps in European Food Safety Authority EFSA risk assessment exposed

7 July 2021 / The EU Parliament has again voted with a large majority against further approvals for the import of genetically engineered plants. The resolutions concern genetically engineered maize and soybeans that are resistant to insecticides and several herbicides, such as glyphosate and glufosinate. The resolutions also heavily criticise deficiencies in European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) risk assessment.