Austrian doubts over GMOs rejected
The Scientific Committee on Plants (SCP) has made public its opinion which was been adopted on 30 November concerning Austria's invocation of the safeguard clause of a Council directive with respect to the authorisation of a specific genetically modified maize line. The Committee examined the information submitted by the Austrian authorities to substantiate its action, and found that it does not provide new scientific data to change the original risk assessment carried out in 1998,when, on the basis of this risk assessment, marketing approval for cultivation was given. Instead of relevant new scientific information, the document contains arguments for the establishment of GMO-free environmentally-sensitive areas and summarises surveyed opinions of people who may be confronted professionally with any environmental effects of the release of GMOs. The Committee emphasises that there is no evidence that this transgenic maize will pose a problem to the ecology of the Alpine grassland and meadow systems as suggested in the Austrian documentation submitted. An opinion rejecting similar concerns expressed by Germany was adopted on 9 November.