EUROPEAN UNION
Relevant European Institutions
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 Markos Kyprianou (Cyprus).
GMO page of DG Sanco Commissioner Kyprianous cabinet and spokespersons
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
Co-Extra
Co-Extra is 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
Sigmea
The acronym stands for "Sustainable introduction of genetically modified crops into European agriculture" and is an EU funded closed shop science project with a massive overlap between the scientists running the EFSA panel on GMOs and the Co-Extra project. homepage
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 Agriculture
The DG Agriculture is responsible for issues of co-existence between GM and non-GM agriculture and economic impacts of GMOs on agriculture. It is headed by Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boel (Denmark). Publications on "organic farming and biotechnology" Commissioner Fischer Boel's cabinet and spokesperson Economic Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops on the Agri-Food Sector (March 2000)
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. It is headed by Commissioner Janez Potocnik (Slovenia). Bio-Society - DG research web-site on GM technologies Commissioner Janez Potocniks cabinet
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 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 Detailed description of the work-plan of the GMO 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.
General Biotechnology and GMOs page
describing the various GM activities of the Joint Research
Directorate General on Environment
The DG environment is responsible for the implementation of Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment and for setting labelling thresholds for seeds. It is headed by Commissioner Stavros Dimas (Greece). CommissionerStavros Dimas Cabinet
Some genernal Questions and Answers regarding GMOs published by DG Environment
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
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
