Relevant European Institutions
Constantly updated Overview on GMO field trials in all EU member states (plants)
Gives you a quick and rather up to date overview on deliberate releases of GMOs in all member states, which must all be notified to the EU, including short description of who does it where and why.
Directorate General on Health and Consumer Protection
The DG Sanco is the principal responsible for the safety, risk assessment and approval of GMOs within the European Union. It is headed by Commissioner John Dally (Malta).
GMO page of DG Sanco
Ongoing evaluation of the European GMO legislation
contains a quite extensive library of GMO studies and documents
Standing Committee on the Food Chain
This regulatory Committee is is chaired by DG Sanco and comprised of representatives of the Member States competent authorities for GMO safety. A special section on Genetically Modified Food and Feed and Environmental Risk deals with GMO approvals. If a qualified majority of this Committee votes in favour of a Commission proposal to approve a new GMO, it is immediately approved, else the Commission proposal is forwarded to the Council of Ministers.
Standing Committee homepage
list of pending approvals of GMOs under regulation 1829/2003
European Food Safety Authority EFSA
The primary responsibility of the Authority, which was established in 2002, is to provide scientific advice on all matters with a direct or indirect impact on food safety. The Authority will carry out assessments of risks to the food chain and indeed can carry out scientific assessment on any matter that may have a direct or indirect effect on the safety of the food supply, including matters relating to animal health, animal welfare and plant health. It will co-ordinate the assessment and approval procedure for new GMOs under the Food and Feed Regulation.
homepage
EFSA Panel on genetically modified organisms and its members
Advisory groups on the food chain
A group bringing together notably consumers, the food industry, retailers and farmers is being created to facilitate consultation and dialogue between the European Commission and European organisations on food safety policy.
homepage
Members of the European Consumer Committee (NGOs)
Directorate General on Research
The DG Research promotes Biotechnology research and in particular genetic engineering in agriculture. While it has no institutional role in the implementation of GMO legislation it is responsible for the funding of GMO research and PR and runs a promotional web-site on the issue.
Bio-Society - DG research web-site on GM technologies
Joint Research Centre, JRC
The JRC with its different institutes serves as a scientific resource for the Commission. On behalf of DG Sanco the JRC provides public information on GMOs and develops and validates methods for identification (testing) of GMOs.
Deliberate releases and placing on the EU market of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
This is the European Unions official publication site for Applications for the placing on the market of GMOs with the option of commenting during the obligatory 30 days commenting period and notifications of experimental releases of GMOs.
The European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL)
consists of over 45 GMO laboratories, which develop and validate GMO testing methods and collect the necessary reference materials
It is co-ordniated by the GMO Unit of the
Institute for Health and Consumer Protection contact to Biotechnology & GMOs Unit
The JRC has also co-ordinated the study Scenarios for co-existence of genetically modified, conventional and organic crops in European agriculture and continous this work with new studies: A Descriptive Analysis of Conventional, Organic and GM Crop and Certified Seed Production in the EU, 2008
General Biotechnology and GMOs page
describing the various GM activities of the Joint Research centre
European Environment Agency, EEA
The EEA plays no institutional role in the regulation of GMO, but has conducted two important environmental assessment studies.
Genetically modified organisms: The significance of gene flow through pollen transfer /March 2002)
Environmental assessment report No 2 (1999)
Chapter on GMOs
Co-Extra
Co-Extra was an EU funded project of public and private sector scientists and PR agencies with the aim of introducing GMOs into European agriculture. It focusses on co-existence and traceability issues and the promotion of GMOs. It's web-site contains an overview by country, a list of events and scientific research programmes as well as regulatory news.
homepage
country reports with relevant institutions
Scientific Committee on Plants (expired)
This Committee was comprised of individual scientists to advise the Commission on issues of seeds and pesticides. It has now been taken over by the EFSA panels.
homepage with list of members and opinions
(13. March 2001, confirmed January 2003):
Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Plants concerning the adventitious presence of GM seeds in conventional seeds
