EU gives member states responsibility for GM crops

On Tuesday the Commission said it would give EU member the freedom to allow, restrict or ban the cultivation of GM crops on part or all of their territory, while keeping unchanged the EU’s science-based GM authorisation system.

In effect, this allows countries that are against the cultivation of GM crops to keep their bans, in return for allowing commercial planting in member states that are pro-GM.

The Commission also published new recommendations on co-existence of GM and non-GM crops, which will allow GM crop exclusion zones within individual countries.

Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli, the architect of the changes, said experience with GM crops to date shows EU members need more flexibility to organise the co-existence of GM and other types of crops such as conventional and organic crops. “I stress that the EU-wide authorisation system, based on solid science, remains fully in place,” Dalli said. “This means that a very thorough safety assessment and a reinforced monitoring system are priorities in [GM crop] cultivation and are therefore being pursued vigorously.”

The Commission said the new approach aims to achieve the right balance between maintaining an EU authorisation system and the freedom for member states to decide cultivation in their territory. It is hoped the move will enable the authorisation system for GM crops to function effectively.