Change of the European GMO law
February 2012 – the Danish EU council presidency rendered a proposal for a new EU GMO- law. According to this proposal, GMO applicants have to reach an agreement with the member states about a ban of GMO cultivation in the respective country. On the 5th of July 2011, the European Parliament agreed to grant the EU member states the possibility of a legally binding, all embracing ban of genetically modified plants. In 2010, the EU Commission presented a original proposal for a change of the GMO law, which shows considerable deficiencies and was repeatedly criticised.
Read about the proposal and debate in the 
European Parliament Legislative Observatory.
What happened so far...
Stage 1: Proposal of the commission
Stage 4: Proposal of the Danish presidency of the European Council
Stage 1: Proposal of the Commission
In July 2010 the European Commission presented a proposal for an act of the European Parliament and the EU council for a change of the directive 2001/18/EG. Member states shall be granted the possibility to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified crops in their territory. Bio- und environmental organisations, the greens/ EFA in the European Parliament as well as the left winged party criticise this proposal, as a national ban of cultivation came along with an acceleration of the admission procedure. The danger of contamination by bordering member states still persists. Above all, the proposal does not offer a legally binding frame and could lead to an action of opposition against the member states by the GMO industry. It is also criticised that the commission has still not complied with the request of the EU council from 2008, to improve the admission procedure and risk assessment by the EFSA.
Documents
Regulation of the European Parliament and of the council (July 2010)
Pressreleases
Stage 2: Lepage-Report
In April 2011 the environmental committee of the European Parliament submitted a report which argues for a regulation of the GMO ban on a member state level. Yet, a national GMO ban must also be justifiable by feared environmental risk and potential out crossing. Further, the report urges the commission to comply with the claims of the council from 2008 regarding the EFSA. As opposed to the GMO lobby, the bio- and environmental organisations welcome the so called Lepage Report of the EP environmental committee and request the deputies of the EU parliament to vote for the proposal with its suggestions for amendment at their first reading in July 2011. 70.000 citizens took part in mail- and email campaigns. A petition from the alliance of the organic food business sector (BÖLW) demanded the federal government to advocate for a national ban. More than 100.000 signatories gave a clear signal from the general public against the cultivation of GMOs.
Documents
All documents and modification proposals
Pressreleases
Stage 3: Parliament voting
On the 5th of July 2011, the European Parliament voted in its first reading with the vast majority for a legally binding, all-embracing regulation for a ban of GMO cultivation by individual EU member states. Members of parliament have approved the essential proposals for amendment as regards to the original draft of the EU commission and expanded the reasons for a ban to environmental risks, scientific uncertainties and economic adversity. The draft requests the commission to implement the unanimously decided resolution of the environmental committee of December 2008, to eliminate the shortcomings of the present EU- admission procedure, and to establish binding liability- and coexistence regulations. A huge success for the GMO critical movement. With a common protest, more than 66.000 citizens called upon the members of parliament to approve the Lepage Report without compromise.
Documents
Texts adopted by the European Parliament (5.07.2011)
Pressreleases
Stage 4: Proposal of the Danish presidency of the European Council
09.03.12 – The compromise document of the Danish presidency of the European Council for the regulation of a national ban of GMO cultivation did not reach the necessary majority in the EU council of ministers of the environment. Therefore, the legal act cannot be approved. This will now lead to a second reading in the parliament, possibly to a second reading in the council or even to a call of the conciliation committee . At the beginning of February the Danish presidency of the European Council presented a compromise paper for the regulation of a national ban of GMO cultivation. The paper suggests agreements between the applicants and the individual member states about a regional ban of GMO cultivation, which has to be decided on before the approval by the commission and latest 30 days after the assessment by the EFSA. Special reasons do not have to be specified. The agreement about a regional ban shall be part of an EU wide admission. The possibility, to enact the ban for socioeconomic or environmental reasons also after the admission by the European Union, shall still be given.
Documents
EU-Council: Council progress report (June 2011)
