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Follow on Google News | EU to Allow Member States to Ban GMO CropsOn 11 November 2014, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted to allow member nations to ban genetically modified (GM) crops from their soil, even if they are given approval to be grown within the European Union.
GM crops, widely grown in the Americas and Asia, have long divided opinion amongst European Union (EU) member states. MEPs on the parliament’s Environmental Committee backed a plan that will allow member states to ban GM crops on environmental grounds. This raises the prospect that the use of GM will remain limited on the continent. In a statement, the executive European Commission said it was confident the law could be in place in 2015, once it had received final endorsement from the European Parliament and member states. GM cultivation has provoked opposition in Europe for years. An earlier attempt to agree a compromise on GM cultivation failed in 2012, when EU ministers were unable to agree. To date, only two GM crops have been approved for commercial cultivation within the EU, one of which was later blocked by a court. Monsanto's GM maize MON810 is the only GM crop grown in Europe, and has been cultivated in Spain and Portugal for a decade. A Step Closer to Ban National GMO Crops The text approved on 11 November would entitle member states to pass legally binding acts restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of GMO crops after they have been authorized at EU level. They could also ask when a new GMO crop is being assessed at EU level, to adjust the geographical scope of the authorization. Bans could be founded upon, inter alia, the aims of environmental policy, town and country planning, land use, agricultural policy, public policy, or possible socio-economic impacts. Further possible grounds should include preventing GMO contamination of other products, persistent scientific uncertainty, the development of pesticide resistance amongst weeds and pests, invasiveness, the persistence of a GMO variety in the environment, or a lack of data on the potential negative impacts of a variety, MEPs say. Case-by-case risk assessments to be carried out by the European Food Safety Authority should take account of the direct, indirect, immediate, delayed and cumulative effects of GMOs on human health and the environment, and always take account of the precautionary principle, MEPs say. Member states should also ensure that GMO crops do not contaminate other products, and particular attention should be paid to preventing cross-border contamination, for instance by implementing “buffer zones” with neighboring countries, MEPs say. Recommendations and Negotiations around EU GMO Regulations The committee’s second reading recommendation was approved by 53 votes to 11 with 2 abstentions. The committee also voted for the opening of negotiations (57 votes to 5 with 4 abstentions) About SGS Food Safety Services SGS is committed to keeping readers informed of regulatory news and developments. Leveraging a global network of laboratories and food experts, SGS provides a comprehensive range of food safety and quality solutions including GMO testing (http://www.sgs.com/ For further information please contact an SGS expert. Website: www.foodsafety.sgs.com SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 80,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,650 offices and laboratories around the world. End
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