Brussels, Belgium
July 19, 2004
Today, the European Commission
approved a genetically modified maize (NK603) for import, feed
use, and industrial processing in the European Union. A
submission to EU authorities to authorise cultivation of NK603
in the EU is not a part of this decision. NK603 maize is
genetically modified to make it tolerant to glyphosate
herbicide.
"We welcome the
Commission decision to approve another plant biotech product in
Europe, the second since 1998," says Johan Vanhemelrijck,
Secretary General of
EuropaBio, the European association for bioindustries. "We
hope that further approvals will follow."
In December 2003,
the EU's European Food Safety Authority gave a positive
scientific opinion on the safety of genetically modified NK603
maize (2). This reflects the earlier opinions of other
regulatory authorities worldwide, and the experience in
countries in which this maize is already approved, cultivated
and used.
NK603 is field
maize genetically modified to tolerate glyphosate herbicide and
provides farmers with additional options of weed control
management in this crop. The GM field maize is approved for
import and food use in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada,
Colombia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, South
Africa , Taiwan and the United States and was first approved in
2000.
(1) NK603 is a
genetically modified maize developed by the Monsanto Company, a
EuropaBio member company
(2) Opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on
NK603 maize
http://www.efsa.eu.int/pdf/pressrel_gmo_0203_final_en.pdf
EuropaBio
Backgrounder on NK 603 -
http://www.europabio.org/upload/articles/article_334_EN.doc
Original press
release of the European Commission: click
HERE |
