At the initiative of deputies Maria Heubuch (Greens, Germany), Maria Noichl (S&D, Germany), Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, Finland) and Bart Staes (Greens, Belgium), a public discussion on the risk assessment of GMOs took place on 15 September in Brussels. The panel included national experts from Austria, Germany and Norway that are dealing with the testing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) at the national level and have submitted extensive scientific comments to EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). They presented their scientific objections to representatives from the European Commission and the EFSA.
MEPs summarize the results as follows: ”The experts have made it very clear that there is no scientific consensus on the safety of GMOs. The risk assessment by EFSA is based on an outdated concept. Many risks are not assessed: for instance, the combinatorial effects, the effects of pesticide use, and the possibility of uncontrolled spread are all disregarded. It is particularly worrying that the researchers do not have adequate access to GMO materials for scientific purposes, since GMOs are protected by patents. In this way, critical research on the risks of GMOs is rendered impossible.”
Read the full press release here.
Sirpa Pietikäinen
Europarlamentaarikko
Tutustu Sirpaan