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Bt11

Risk assessment - The veering course of the EU Commission
5 December 2008
1507, Amflora, Aspartame, Bt11, EFSA, EU, risk assessment, risk management, report

Christoph Then & Antje Lorch. Study for Hiltrud Breyer (MEP) Bündnis 90/Die Grnen. December 2008.

An assessment of statements and decisions by the EU Commission shows that the EU Commission repeatedly points to the independence of the EFSA instead of taking up the responsibility to assess and control the work of the EFSA. So far the Commission usually hides behind the EFSA opinions and in practice even leaves the power to take decisions to the EFSA even though this is in contradiction to the EU regulation. In other cases however, like the cultivation of Bt11, 1507 maize and Amflora, at least some parts of the EU Commission disagree with the EFSA opinion.

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Risikobewertung und -management von Lebensmitteln: der Schlingerkurs der EU-Kommission
5 December 2008
1507, Amflora, Aspartame, Bt11, EFSA, EU, risk assessment, risk management, report

Christoph Then & Antje Lorch, 2008. Studie im Auftrag von Hiltrud Breyer, MEP, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.

Die Auswertung von Stellungnahmen und Entscheidungen der EU-Kommission führt vor Augen, dass die EU-Kommission sich mit Verweis auf die Unabhängigkeit der EFSA ihrer Aufgabe entzogen hat, klare Vorgaben für deren Arbeit zu machen, die EFSA-Angaben zu prüfen und zu kontrollieren. Sie hat sich bisher hinter den Gutachten der EFSA versteckt und im Endeffekt Entscheidungsgewalt auf die EU-Lebensmitelbehörde verlagert, obwohl dies laut entsprechenden EU-Vorschriften nicht möglich ist. In einigen Fälle jedoch, z.B. bei den Zulassungsanträgen zum Anbau von Bt11, 1507-Mais und Amflora, widerspricht zumindest ein Teil der EU-Kommission den Gutachten der EFSA.

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EFSA gives a positive opinion - again
10 November 2008
1507, Bt11, cultivation, EFSA

For the third time now the EFSA has given a positive opinion on the two maize events Bt11 and 1507.
In November 2007, Environmental Commissioner Dimas had proposed that an approval for cultivation for these Bt-maize events should not be given. In May 2008 the Commission send the two notifications back to the EFSA with the explicit question to review eleven scientific studies that had come out since the EFSA gave its last opinion. Now on 29 October 2008, the EFSA once more gave an opinion - and once more it is positive.
How can it be that over years now the Competent Authorities of several memberstates as well as the DG Environment sees risks in the cultivation of these Bt maize - but the EFSA simply maintains their position that everything is fine? Do the members of the GMO Panel have such a completely different view on what makes a risk?

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Back to the EFSA...
8 May 2008
1507, Amflora, approval, Bt11, cultivation, EU

On Wednesday, 7 May 2008, the EU Commission refered three GM crops back to the EFSA: the GM starch potato Amflora and the two Bt maize events Bt11 and 1507. Environmental Commissioner Dimas had already announced earlier that he would propose to reject the two Bt maize. Referring the cses back to the EFSA atthis stage might be an historic step, but unfortunately it is not to be expected that the EFSA GMO Panel will now change its mind, so in the long run the issue of GM cultivation willstill need tobe resolved where it belongs: in the political arena.

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Dimas rejects Bt11 and 1507 Bt maize cultivation
29 October 2007
1507, Bt maize, Bt11

For the first time the EU Environmental Commissioner Dimas proposed to reject applications for the cultivation of GMOs. The crops in question are the two Bt maize events Bt11 (Syngenta) and 1507 maize (Pioneer HiBred/Dow).
The proposal is apparently based on clear scientific evidence proving that the cultivation of these two GM crops has the potential to cause environmental harm. Nevertheless both crops had gotten a positive opinion from the EFSA in 2005. [Bt11, 1507]

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C/F/96.05.10 - Notification for the cultivation of Bt11 maize in the EU
1 September 2005
Bt maize, Bt11, cultivation, risk assessment, report

A. Lorch, Greenpeace Report, September 2005

This new report, written on behalf of Greenpeace, shows that no serious investigation was conducted on the effects of Bt11 maize on the environment and on animals feeding on it. Why does EFSA accepts a notification that lacks so much information, and why does it discard the existing scientific literature?
The report shows that no serious investigation was conducted on the toxicity of this GM maize or its impact on the environment, such as detrimental effects on useful or protected insect species. Furthermore, already published scientific results on possible negative environmental consequences of this GM maize were widely ignored by EFSA.

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bt11

glossary

Bt11
12 November 2008

Bt11, a GM Bt and herbicide-tolerant maize owned by Syngenta, produces the Bt toxin Cry1Ab against lepidopteran pests (moths and butterflies), mainly European corn borer (ECB, Ostrinia nubilalis) and Mediterranean stem borer (MCB, Sesamia nonagrioides). In addition, Bt11 is herbicide-tolerant against the glufosinate-ammonium (BASTA, Liberty).In its application for cultivation in the EU, Syngenta claims that Bt11 will not be marketed for its herbicide tolerance, but in other countries, such as the USA and Canada, the maize is marketed for both GM traits.
In October 2007, the EU Environmental Commissioner Dimas proposed to reject the application. The EU Commission has taken no decision yet but referred it back to the EFSA who in Oktober 2008 once again gave a positive opinion.

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