Brussels, 15/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The dice have been thrown: the case of Bt10 genetically modified maize inadvertently exported to the EU by the biotechnological company Syngenta will not only rekindle the transatlantic row over GMOs, but also temporarily rock trade relations between the EU and the EU. All European imports of maize gluten from the United States for use as animal feed must be certified free of genetically modified maize Bt10 by the American exporters if it is to be allowed onto EU soil. This will come into force from next week as a temporary measure. This was decided by the Member States' experts meeting within the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health of the EU, which on Friday unanimously approved the emergency measure proposed by the European Commission. The formal decision will be adopted by the Commission (by written procedure- early next week to be immediately applicable, which should happen on Monday or Tuesday. It will be reviewed between now and late October.
In a press release, Markos Kyprianou, Commissioner for Health, justified the measure in these terms: “This is a targeted measure which is necessary to uphold EU law, maintain consumer confidence and ensure that the unauthorised GMO Bt10 cannot enter the EU. Imports of maize products which are certified as free of Bt10 will be able to continue, but at the same time we cannot and will not allow a GMO which has not gone through our rigorous authorisation procedures to enter the EU market. This measure is designed to affect trade as little as possible”.
The EU's emergency measures states that exports of maize gluten flour and brewers' grains (a by-product of the production of ethanol) for animal feeds cannot be sold in the EU unless they are accompanied by an assessment report by an accredited laboratory, proving, on the basis of an appropriate and duly validated method, that the product contains no Bt10. It will be up to the Member States to check imports to stop any contaminated batch from being sold, and to take samples and conduct random testing on products already on the market. Operators importing animal feed from the United States will themselves be responsible for guaranteeing that the imported products are certified free of Bt10. Foodstuffs are not targeted by the obligatory certification because according to the information which has been provided to date by the American authorities and the European agro-food industry, products intended for human consumption are not thought to be contaminated by Bt10. In order to be certain, however, the Member States will still be obliged to check whether genetically modified foodstuffs are present on their market, if these foodstuffs have been contaminated by Bt10 and to inform the Commission of their findings. The Commission will look into extra measures for food for human consumption, if there is evidence that they are needed.
The United States reacted immediately, its representation in Brussels telling the EU that they felt the measure was an “over-reaction”, given the low levels of potential presence of Bt10. “The US regulatory authorities have determined there are no hazards to health, safety or the environment related to Bt10. There is no reason to expect any negative impact from the small amounts of Bt-corn that may have entered the EU. All current plantings in the US and seed stock have been identified and either destroyed or quarantined for future destruction. No Bt-10 lines will be grown in the US in 2005”, said Edward Kemp, the spokesperson for the US mission to the EU. Mr Kemp said that the American authorities would continue to cooperate with the Commission to provide all information required.
The official visit of Commissioner Kyprianou to the United States from 17 to 21 April will be an excellent opportunity for both sides to discuss the case in greater detail.
It is worth noting that the quantity of transgenic Bt10 which “inadvertently” entered the EU having been mixed up with Bt11 is put in the region of 1000 tonnes.