The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said French documentation supporting the country’s attempt to ban Monsanto’s MON810 genetically modified maize in Europe contains no new information or scientific basis to support such a ban.
The EFSA report concludes that the documentation provided by French authorities to support an application for an emergency measure under Article 34 of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003, which would block the cultivation of genetically modified maize MON 810 in the EU, contained no new information which would lead to a change in opinion from a previously issued by the European science agency.
“Therefore, EFSA considers that the previous GMO Panel risk assessment conclusions and risk management recommendations on maize MON 810 remain valid and applicable,” said EFSA.
The dispute began with France’s 2008 ban of MON810 – otherwise known as YieldGuard – which was put in place after the government ruled the GM maize was a “serious risk to the environment.” However, a court ruling in 2012 found that the government had not produced enough evidence to back its claims that the crop posed a risk to health or the environment.
Read the full, original article: EFSA rejects French move to ban GM crop in Europe
