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Food Safety

Evaluation of GMO legislation

Two different consultancies evaluated the existing GMO legislation between 2009 and 2011 focusing on GMO cultivation and GM food and feed aspects.

Key findings

Stakeholders and competent authorities expressed support for the main objectives of the legislation, such as protecting health and the environment as well as creating an internal market which remains consistent with the needs of society.

The evaluation reports also confirmed that many recent actions of the Commission were on the right track.

However, some adjustments were deemed necessary to better implement the existing legislation, for example:

  • the authorisation system could be more efficient

  • GMO cultivation would benefit from more flexibility

  • Risk assessment process would benefit from further harmonisation

Following evaluation recommendations, the Commission has launched following actions:

  • A proposal for increased flexibility on GMO cultivation

  • Technical information on the socio-economic implications of GMO cultivation

  • Reviewing and transforming the risk assessment guidelines for food and feed and environmental release into legal documents approved by EU countries

  • Reinforcing of the environmental monitoring

  • Harmonised sampling and testing for low level presence in food

  • Assessing of new plant breeding techniques

  • Stepping up communication on GMO issues

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