Brussels, 09/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - Once again, the polemic on authorisation of GMOs in the EU hits the headlines. On Tuesday 9 February, Amadeus Altafaj, European Commission spokesman, formally denied that the Commission president, José Manuel Barroso, wished to impose GMO crops throughout Europe. This comes after reports in the French press on 8 February. Saying such reports were “misleading”, the spokesman added: “President Barroso in no way intends to impose GMO crops. He will follow the political guidelines set by the European Commission on the authorisation of GMO crops and advocates the principle of subsidiarity”.
The Commission, however, has not formally denied the assertion that Barroso wishes to reactivate the process for authorising crops of two highly controversial GMOs shortly after his new team takes up its tenure next week, as reported by AFP on 8 February. The media report mentioned BASF's genetically modified potato, Amflora, which awaits authorisation, and the genetically modified maize MON 810 by the American company Monsanto, which still awaits authorisation although it has received a favourable opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (EUROPE 9933). The opposition of 22 member states to the Commission's attempt to lift the safeguard measures in member states banning MON 810 on their territory had, in March 2009, been a real snub for the Commission (EUROPE 9852). With the departure of Stavros Dimas, the outgoing environment commissioner, who was known for his opposition to GMOS in the EU and who was competent for GMO authorisation procedure (under Directive 2001/18/EC on the voluntary dissemination of GMOs into the environment), it is now John Dalli of Malta, the new commissioner for consumer protection, that has this authority in the Barroso II Commission, which is to meet for the first time on 17 February. “Barroso has entrusted Mr Dalli with the task of developing a more predictable and effective framework for GMOs that is in line with our legal obligations and the public's expectations”, the spokesman said. In response to a journalist who asked whether the Commission would wait before defining the new framework in order to submit MON 810 maize and Amflora potatoes to the new rules, the spokesman kicked the ball into the long grass, saying: “I cannot say what Mr Dalli will do. There is no set date at this stage”. (A.N./transl.jl)