The EU Commission, via the Standing Committee, met for the first time recently for an exchange of views with Member States over the cultivation authorization in the EU of two new GMOs. Other GMOs will be discussed shortly as the Committee plans to hold other meetings during 2016.
Member States’ stance on GMOs varies. Currently, 15 Member States are trying to keep GMOs out of their territory. As per a new directive that was adopted recently, EU countries may ban or limit the cultivation of GMOs in their respective territories. Member States wishing to do so need to express their reservations during the authorization process and demand an exclusion for their territory. And once a GMO has been authorized, they need to provide compelling grounds that range from environmental reasons to socio-economic justifications.
The working of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed is an opportunity for interested companies to get going the discussions over the authorization of their GMOs. In addition, participating in the process and discussions by providing information and data will help overcome the assessment and facilitate approval. Participating in this process will also help relevant companies appeal to all Member States and ensure that their GMOs can be cultivated in the majority, if not all, EU Member States.