GM Animal Feed

EU Commission proposals on the import of GM crops have managed to upset almost everyone – the feed and farming industry, green NGOs and key trading partners.  The plans would allow Member States (MS) to individually decide for themselves whether to ban imports of GM crops such as soyabean and maize, mainly destined for animal feed, even though they have been approved at EU level.

The idea is to bring the import of GM crops into line with the rules recently agreed for the approval of new GM crops to be grown in the EU (see January article).  This gives MS the right to ban farmers from cultivating GM crops on the grounds of ‘ethical concerns’ or ‘socio-economic’ impacts.   The Commission has declined to suggest what might be valid reasons for preventing the import of GM crops; health and environment cannot be used as these are already assessed at the EU-wide level by EFSA.  Member States would have to provide ‘compelling reasons…. which are proportionate and non-discriminatory’.  They would also have to comply with international trade rules; the US, Canada, Argentina and Brazil have already asked questions as to whether the new system would comply with WTO rules.  Neither is it going to help in negotiations towards a free trade deal between the EU and US.  It has been pointed out by the feed and farming industry that the plans undermine the concept of the Single Market, and may be virtually impossible to police. 

The EU Commission hopes the new rules will allow the backlog of GM import approvals to be cleared.  The EU has already approved 58 GM crops for import for food and feed, but another 58 applications are still pending.  It is believed that 17 crops could be authorised shortly.  This has led to protest from environmental lobby groups which have stated the plans continue to ignore public opposition to GM technology in Europe.