- In order to help inform debate on genetically modified organisms, the European Commission is publishing a compendium entitled A decade of EU-funded GMO research.
- According to the projects' results, there is no scientific evidence associating GMOs with higher risks for the environment or for food and feed safety than conventional plants and organisms.
- According to the findings of these projects GMOs potentially provide opportunities to reduce malnutrition, especially in lesser developed countries, as well as to increase yields and assist towards the adaptation of agriculture to climate change.
In order to help inform debate on genetically modified organisms, the European Commission is publishing a compendium entitled A decade of EU-funded GMO research. The book summarizes the results of 50 research projects addressing primarily the safety of GMOs for the environment and for animal and human health. Launched between 2001 and 2010, these projects received funding of €200 million (approximately $300 million) from the EU and form part of a 25-year long research effort on GMOs.
European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said, "The aim of this book is to contribute to a fully transparent debate on GMOs, based on balanced, science–based information. According to the findings of these projects GMOs potentially provide opportunities to reduce malnutrition, especially in lesser developed countries, as well as to increase yields and assist towards the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. But we clearly need strong safeguards to control any potential risks."
A publication for scientists, policy-makers and other stakeholders
This new publication aims to contribute to the debate on GMOs by disseminating the outcomes of research projects to scientists, regulatory bodies and to the public. It follows up previous publications on EU-funded research on GMO safety. Over the last 25 years, more than 500 independent research groups have been involved in such research.
According to the projects' results, there is, as of today, no scientific evidence associating GMOs with higher risks for the environment or for food and feed safety than conventional plants and organisms.
Many of the research projects described in the book were launched to address scientific questions in areas of known public concern about the potential environmental impact of GMOs, about food safety, and about the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops.
The book includes results from research projects working on:
• Developing analytical tools and methods for detecting GMOs in food and feed (GMOCHIPS, QPCRGMO) - supporting EU policies on labelling and traceability of GM food and feed.
• Developing new safety assessment approaches on the potential health effect of GM food (ENTRANSFOOD, GMOCARE, SAFOTEST, NOFORISK, GMOBILITY, GMSAFOOD).
• Crop improvement by genetic modification, such as resistance to pathogens – from fungi (EURICE) and viruses (TRANSVIR) to nematodes (NONEMA);
• Improving the sustainability of agriculture by enhancing the nitrogen use efficiency of crops (SUSTAIN).
• Managing gene flow, gene transfer and coexistence of GMO and non-GMO (ANGEL, TRANSBAC, SIGMEA, CO-EXTRA, TRANSCONTAINER).
• Assessing effects of GMO on biodiversity (BT-BIONOTA, ECOGEN, POTATOCONTROL).
Background
Since 1982, the European Commission has invested over €300 (approximately $400 million) million on research on the bio safety of GMOs
A decade of EU-funded GMO research (2001-2010):
http://ec.europa.eu/research/biosociety/library/brochures_reports_en.htm
EC-sponsored research on Safety of Genetically Modified Organisms (1985-2000)
