EU finally signs off 17 GMO import approvals

摘要

The European Commission has finally signed off approvals for the import, processing and use in food and feed of 17 genetically modified crop lines, along with two GM carnations for import as cut flowers. Some of the crop lines have been stalled in the EU registration system since the end of 2013, with the Commission hesitating in the face of anti-GMO feeling in many member states. The bulk release of the approvals closely follows new Commission proposals to allow member states to impose national bans on imports and use of EU-approved GM crops. European biotechnology association EuropaBio welcomes the approvals as a “step in the right direction”, but urges the Commission to “normalise what has become a dysfunctional approval process”. There are ten new approvals: Monsanto’s drought-tolerant DroughtGard (MON87460) maize; five soybean lines, Monsanto’s glyphosate-tolerant and high oleic acid Vistive Gold (MON87705), dicamba-tolerant MON87708 and stearidonic acid-improved MON87769, DuPont’s acetolactate synthase herbicide-tolerant and high oleic acid Optimum GAT (305423), and BASF’s imidazolinone-tolerant Cultivance (BPS-CV127-9); Monsanto’s glyphosatetolerant Truflex Roundup Ready (MON88302) oilseed rape; and three cotton lines, Monsanto’s glyphosatetolerant Roundup Ready Flex (MON88913), and Bayer CropScience’s insect-resistant and glufosinate-tolerant T304-40 (a component of TwinLink), and its stacked-trait glufosinate-tolerant LibertyLink and glyphosate-tolerant GlyTol (LLCotton25xGHB614).