Brussels, 20/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - Five genetically modified organisms (GMO), authorised in the EU for human and animal foods, will be withdrawn from the market at the end of April. This involves two varieties of maize (BT 176 and GA21xMON810) and three trans-genetic kinds of rapeseed (Ms1Rf1, MS1Rf2 and Topas 19/2). On 20 March representatives from member states at the EU's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health approved the Commission proposals for withdrawing the GMOs from the market that the manufacturers had not authorised.
The GMOs in question were authorised before the entry into force of the 2003 European regulation on genetically modified foodstuffs and animal feed (1829/2003/EC regulation). They may continue to be marketed legally until 18 April 2007. Beyond this date, companies that want to continue marketing them will be obliged to introduce a new request for authorisation that could lead to new risk assessment procedures by the European Food Authority (EFA). These have not been made, due to the lack of potential in selling these GMOs. The decision for market withdrawal will be formalised by the Commission to enter into force at the end of April. As a provisional measure, a tolerance threshold for accidental presence of these GMOs in products (0.9%) will be allowed for five years. (am)