19/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Shift to clearer socio-economic impact scoreboard. The Commission, in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre, will be setting up a benchmarking system for best performances, in an effort to help member states perfect their national rules on the coexistence of genetically modified and conventional/organic crops. John Dalli, the Commissioner for Health and Consumers, made this announcement on 18 October at a conference on the social and economic impact of GMO crops (see EUROPE 10475). According to the commissioner, this conference was a first step towards the EU's developing a greater understanding of the dangers, other than environmental and health, posed by GMOs. He also said that this should help towards improving basic scientific knowledge required for an objective assessment of this issue. He explained that beyond current perceptions and specific national situations, there is a more solid basis of objective and standardised data, which he would very much like to be used to rectify the shortcomings in the introductory report published in April on the socio-economic impact of transgenic cultures, as requested by the Council. (AN/transl.fl)