EPHA’s letter sent to all Commissioners on 5 May 2008 was one of a number of awareness-raising activities undertaken by NGOs, and subsequently the European Commission delayed their decision on 7 May 2008, on whether to allow European farmers to grow numerous types of genetically modified crops, including the Amflora potato
Background reading:
This genetically modified potato produces unusually large quantities of starch and contains two controversial marker genes linked to the risk of increasing drug resistance.
On 17 February 2008 the EU Agriculture Council did not approve the application and the Commission was thus the one in charge of taking the decision. On 12 March 2008, voting members of the EU Commission have delayed approval of the antibiotics resistant potato.
EPHA was concerned because the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) - whose opinions are generally followed by the Commission - did not reclassify the antibiotic resistant marker gene present in the potato. However EFSA has acknowledged its mistake concerning the therapeutic relevance of the antibiotics following the World Health Organisation (WHO) scientific evidence and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) recommendations.
EPHA worked with Greenpeace to encourage the Commission to reject the application, as well as the application for approval of pesticide-releasing plants.
EPHA is pleased to announce that this has delayed the applications. EPHA will continue to work with Greenpeace and the Commission to ensure that citizen and consumer interests are taken into consideration when authorising GMOs, and particularly those that pose a threat to health.
Please the Greenpeace European Unit for more information on GMOs in Europe
