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Member States fail to vote on biotech maize Brussels, 8 March 2005 Yesterday’s meeting of the EU Regulatory Committee was unable to make a decision for import and processing of 1507 maize, including animal feed use in the European Union. By deferring the vote on a new GM product (1507) (1) that meets all the EU regulatory requirements, including a positive safety opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Member States have shown that the EU approval system is still not functioning as it should. The 1507 maize is genetically modified with a Bt gene, making it resistant to certain insect pests. It has already been approved in eleven other countries around the world, including in the US in 2001. “1507 maize has met all the safety and other EU regulatory requirements and we are disappointed that even with the positive safety assessments of 1507, including from the EFSA, we still see delays from the EU’s Regulatory Committee”, stated Simon Barber, Director of the Plant Biotechnology Unit at EuropaBio, the EU Association for bioindustries (3) If a safe, innovative biotech product is unable to be approved in a timely fashion, Europe risks further loss of research and investment in the new products that are needed to meet the Member States’ goals for European competitiveness and sustainability. This delay comes at a time when the EU is on a campaign trail to boost growth and encourage Member States to invest 3% of their GDP in research as part of building a knowledge-based economy. “Member States are jeopardising the key goal of this EU economic growth campaign by failing to approve safe products that result from such research”, continued Simon Barber. “EuropaBio urges Member States to fulfill their responsibilities under the new EU regulations and to approve 1507 maize”, concluded Simon Barber. EuropaBio Backgrounder on 1507 (04/03/05) For more information, contact Adeline Farrelly Tel: +32 2 735 0313 Direct: +32 2 739 1174 Mobile: +32 475 93 17 24 Email: a.farrelly@europabio.org Notes to Editors (1) The Biotech maize referred to is 1507, and has been jointly developed by EuropaBio members Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (a DuPont subsidiary) and by Mycogen Seeds, (a Dow AgroSciences subsidiary). (2) EFSA Opinions on 1507 maize i. EFSA adopted a positive safety opinion on the dossier on 24 September 2004: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gmo_opinions/663_en.html ii. EFSA adopted a positive safety opinion on the dossier for 1507 maize for use as ‘Food’ on 19 January 2005 http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gmo_opinions/826_en.html iii. EFSA adopted a positive safety opinion on the dossier for 1507 maize for ‘Cultivation’ on 19 January 2005 http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gmo_opinions/827_en.html (3) About EuropaBio EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 50 direct members operating worldwide and 25 national biotechnology associations representing some 1500 small and medium sized enterprises involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products. |
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