The European Commission on April 24 approved 19 import authorizations for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Seventeen of the authorizations were for long-delayed food and feed traits, already approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), but had been stalled by non-science based political objections.
Two additional approvals for genetically modified cut flowers rounded out the list.
“The seventeen food and feed events approved last week are a step forward, but all of these events had been approved by EFSA long ago and should have already been approved by the Commission,� said U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Chairman Ron Gray.
“There is no legitimate reason for the long delay, and during that delay, still more traits have been commercialized in the United States but not yet approved by the European Union. We appreciate forward movement, but the European market is still not open for corn because of a problematic regulatory system.�
The approval of the long-stalled events followed closely on the announcement that the European Commission was moving forward with proposed legislation allowing individual EU members to opt-out of imports of food and feed containing EU-approved biotech traits. While the opt-out had been under discussion for some time, the Commission has now made a formal proposal, which must still be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
European associations representing the feed, commodity trading and oil crushing industries have all announced opposition to the opt-out proposal because of its potential to disrupt the European common market.
“The EU feed and livestock industries relies consistently on imports of protein-rich feed ingredients including soy, canola and derived products for food and feed supplies,� said Floyd Gaibler, USGC director of trade policy. “The opt-out legislation risks fragmenting the single European market, distorting global trade by locking out U.S. coarse grains, and driving up costs for European consumers.
“It would be real progress if the EU would live up to its own regulatory timetables and standards, which are supposed to be based on science. Now it’s a question of whether Europe will remain a single market for food and feed ingredients. A unilateral national opt-out for arbitrary politically driven reasons would be a big step backwards for Europe and a huge impediment to global trade.�