Knockout blow for GM 1507 Maize as Court of Justice annuls authorisation of controversial GM potato | WPN World People News

Greenpeace welcomes decision by the EU General Court annulling the authorisation of the controversial genetically modified (GM) potato in 2010. Given this ruling, Greenpeace calls on the European Commission to withdraw its recent proposal to approve the cultivation of GM maize 1507, the first such proposal since the GM potato was authorised. The ruling demonstrates that the Commission committed the same legal errors in pushing both authorisations.

Greenpeace and Avaaz present 1 Million EU Citizens against GMO Crops at the European Commission, Brussels, September 2010

BASF’s Amflora antibiotic-resistant potato was authorised by the Commission in March 2010. As a response, Greenpeace accused the Commission of ignoring significant scientific concerns and disregarding dominant public opposition to GM crops, and collected, together with Avaaz, one million signatures.. In May 2010, Hungary brought an action for annulment of the Commission’s authorisation and soon after, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Poland intervened in the proceedings in support of Hungary.

Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero said: “Today’s legal judgment demolishes the Commission plans to rush through the approval of Pioneer-DuPont’s GM maize 1507 for cultivation. The Commission must withdraw its proposal, in line with EU legal requirements.”

The Court found that the Commission “significantly failed to fulfil its procedural obligations”.

As in the GM potato case examined by the court, the Commission did not ask the committee of national experts to vote on its proposal to approve GM maize 1507 after the European Food Safety Authority had issued new scientific opinions. Instead, it amended the proposal and sent it directly to the Council of Ministers. According to the ruling, the Commission should have resubmitted it to the member state committee.

Source: Greenpeace EU Unit