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Live debate “GMOs – on or off the EU’s menu?” on Monday 14 July at 12:00 pm CET

The Commission (DG SANTE) tabled its highly-anticipated review of the EU’s decision-making process for genetically modified (GM) crop authorisation on April 22 that seeks to give governments more freedom to decide on the use of GMOs on their territory. Under the plans, Member States could prohibit their farmers from using imports of biotech feed for their livestock. The long-awaited review – first announced by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in July 2014 – prompted a scathing response from industry, NGOs & the EU’s trade partners. Industry groups (representatives of trade, feed industry & oilseed processors) fear the plan risks disrupting the internal market & endangering feed supplies as European farmers are heavily reliant on imports of protein crops. Industry representatives say the move could increase costs for EU operators, cause feed supply shortages & trade distortions (when non-authorised GM varieties are detected in shipments). Meanwhile, green NGOs have reacted angrily to the move, saying it fails on a pledge by Juncker to make the approval process more democratic. In addition, the review has emerged as a major bone of contention in the on-going EU-US free trade talks, with key negotiators in Washington slamming the “nonsensical plans”.