Has the European Commission based its proposal to deregulate GMOs/NGTs (new genomic techniques, new GMOs) on “sound science” or on the demands of seed companies? Documents obtained by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) show that the Commission chose to listen to the companies rather than its own experts at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Inf'OGM writes that EFSA had indeed asked for an assessment - albeit a relatively light one - of the risks of “new GMOs”. However, the European Commission has proposed to abolish this requirement, as requested by certain companies. On July 5, 2023, the European Commission published its plan to deregulate GMOs obtained using “new genomic techniques” (GMOs/NGTs). Contrary to its usual practice, the Commission made very little reference to the notion of “sound science”. It makes no mention of it either in the press release accompanying its proposal, or in the contribution on the “Green Pact” policy which serves as the political justification for the same proposal. Only the FAQ details that the Commission has relied “on EU-level scientific advisory bodies”, including EFSA. And EFSA recommended, in October 2022, that plants genetically modified by new techniques be evaluated. Inf'OGM via GMWatch

 

 

A multi-institutional international toxicological study has found that low doses of glyphosate-based herbicides cause leukemia in rats. Importantly, half of the leukemia deaths identified in the study groups occurred at an early age. The first carcinogenicity data from the Global Glyphosate Study (GGS) were presented on Wednesday at the international scientific conference, "Environment, Work and Health in the 21st Century: Strategies and Solutions to a Global Crisis", in Bologna, Italy. In this long-term study, glyphosate alone and two commercial formulations, Roundup BioFlow (MON 52276) used in the EU and Ranger Pro (EPA 524-517) used in the US, were administered to rats via drinking water beginning in prenatal life, at doses of 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg body weight/day. These doses are currently (and wrongly) considered safe by regulatory agencies. GMWatch

 

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