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European Commission approves GM potato crop for commercial growing.
The decision was made granting authorisation across all 27 countries in the EU, marking the first EU-wide approval of a GMO for supply to the food chain. The potato concerned is Amflora, developed by German company BASF.
BASF plans to begin cultivating Amflora this year on 250 hectares in the Czech Republic, Sweden and Germany.
The decision is controversial, drawing strong words from Green politicians and activists.
"I am shocked that Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner John Dalli has only needed weeks in his new position to show such flagrant support for industry interests ahead of his own portfolio,” said German Green MEP Martin Häusling.
One of the principal concerns of the anti-GMO lobby is the uncertain nature of Amflora's link with antibiotic suppression through an antibiotic resistant gene that it contains. This has caused concern amongst medical researchers that it could undermine work on improved antibiotics.
"It is shocking that one of the Commission's first official acts is to authorise a GM crop that puts the environment and public health at risk," Greenpeace EU's agriculture policy director, Marco Contiero, said in a statement.
In comparison, Europe's agriculture and food science sector was enthusiastic about the decision.
Willy de Greef, secretary general of EuropaBio, the European Association for BioIndustries, said, "We feel encouraged by this decisive regulatory approach. It offers the necessary predictability to industry and also to the general public regarding the development of a technology that has much to offer to Europeans as a whole."
The industry has 61 GMO's currently awaiting EU approval for various stages of development, including farming, introduction to the food chain and processing. |
