GM Policy

The EU published its approval of four GM soy events, 1 renewal and 3 approvals earlier in the year. See AM/2012/040. The trade is awaiting EFSA’s evaluation of MIR162 GM corn trait which is expected to be published by September at the latest. After full approval in EU system, corn product imports will resume. The EU Commission was investigating the establishment of a “technical solution” for food applying to those events not yet fully approved in the EU but in third countries, similar to that existing for feed but it seems to be on the backburner.

Turkey’s Biosafety committee has approved 13 different GM corn varieties for animal feed. Full details in AM/2012/002.  However, Turkey’s Biosafety committee recently declined to approve 6 corn events and an appeal is underway. Pakistan – The EU has discussed the issue of unauthorised GM appearing in Basmati rice imports into the EU with several alerts appearing in the EU Rapid System.  As Pakistan has only commercialised GM cotton for cultivation, importers are advised to test consignments for import into the EU. A parallel reply is awaited from India.
China – the Commission has published a regulation strengthening its emergency measures on unauthorised GM rice in rice products from China due to the continued notifications of unauthorized varieties appearing in some products. The main changes are outlined in AM/001/2012.
Further details can be accessed on the website.  More news available in the Members section