EFSA Rejects French Calls for GM Maize Ban

07 Aug 2014 --- Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated the documentation submitted by France under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 in support of its request to prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified maize MON 810 in the EU.

According to an EFSA statement, “neither the scientific publications cited in the documentation submitted by France with relevance to maize MON 810 nor the arguments put forward by France reveal any new information that would invalidate the previous risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations made by the EFSA GMO Panel.” EFSA considers that the previous GMO Panel risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations on maize MON 810 remain valid and applicable. Therefore, EFSA concludes that, based on the documentation submitted by France, there is no specific scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human and animal health or the environment, that would support the adoption of an emergency measure on the cultivation of maize MON 810 under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003.

Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated the documentation submitted by France under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 in support of its request to prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified maize MON 810 in the EU. Neither the scientific publications cited in the documentation submitted by France with relevance to maize MON 810 nor the arguments put forward by France reveal any new information that would invalidate the previous risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations made by the EFSA GMO Panel. EFSA considers that the previous GMO Panel risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations on maize MON 810 remain valid and applicable. Therefore, EFSA concludes that, based on the documentation submitted by France, there is no specific scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human and animal health or the environment, that would support the adoption of an emergency measure on the cultivation of maize MON 810 under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003.

On 25 March 2014, the European Commission requested the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to assess the supporting documentation submitted by France to notify an emergency measure under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003, prohibiting the cultivation of genetically modified maize MON 810 in the EU.

EFSA assessed the documentation supplied by the French Authorities and the scientific publications cited in the French Authorities’ report. For each area of concern outlined in the French Authorities’ report, EFSA assessed whether any of the scientific publications not previously addressed by EFSA and/or its GMO Panel, or any of the arguments put forward by France, would invalidate the previous GMO Panel conclusions on the safety of maize MON 810. Moreover, EFSA considered the relevance of concerns raised by France in the light of the most recent and relevant scientific data published in the scientific literature.

During its evaluation of the French Authorities’ report, EFSA noted that most of the cited scientific publications were addressed previously by EFSA and its GMO Panel in various scientific outputs. These publications were therefore not considered further. For the remaining scientific publications, EFSA has focused its assessment on those aspects that are relevant to maize MON 810.

Neither the scientific publications cited in the French Authorities’ report with relevance to maize MON 810 nor the arguments put forward by France reveal any new information that would invalidate the previous risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations made by the EFSA GMO Panel. Therefore, EFSA considers that the previous GMO Panel risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations on maize MON 810 remain valid and applicable.

EFSA concludes that, based on the documentation submitted by France, there is no specific scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human and animal health or the environment, that would support the adoption of an emergency measure on the cultivation of maize MON 810 under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003.