Genetic Modification Debate
GM crops and the public debate on GM issues:
Statement by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - 24 March 2003
[This statement was formerly published on the web site for the GM Public Debate but has now been transferred to this web site.]
No decisions have yet been taken in the UK on the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops, including those being grown in the crop trials. Nor are final decisions, whether about cultivation or import of GM crops, likely to be taken at EU level until the end of the year, by which time we will have the report of the public debate on GM issues and the first set of results from our crop trials. The public debate will help to inform the Government's policy-making on GM, including its policy on the cultivation of GM crops.
In light of recent misreporting in the media, this statement is intended to clarify the Government's role in EU decision-making on applications for marketing consents for GM crops, including during the period of the public debate on GM issues.
The import and cultivation of GM crops has been regulated at EU level since 1990. A number of crops secured EU approval for import as commodities, and three types of GM maize were approved for commercial cultivation, prior to 1998. Since then there has been a 'de facto' EU moratorium on the issuing of new consents as a number of other Member States have made it clear that they would oppose any new consents.
The EU regulatory framework has recently been significantly strengthened, with the entry into force of EC Directive 2001/18. The Directive introduces a number of important new requirements, including a more rigorous environmental risk assessment, post-market monitoring, mandatory public consultation and mandatory traceability and labelling.
Following the entry into force of the Directive, a total of 19 applications for marketing consents for GM crops have been submitted to various EU Member States. Ten of these applications are for import only, and nine are for both import and cultivation. The Directive sets out clear procedures and deadlines for consideration of these applications by Member States and the European Commission.
Each application is assessed for compliance with the Directive by the Member State to which it was submitted. If the lead Member State concludes that the application complies with the Directive, other Member States and the European Commission then have an opportunity to comment and/or raise objections. The aim is to reach unanimous agreement, though if necessary final decisions can be taken by qualified majority.
The Government has not yet submitted an opinion on any of the 19 applications. In the case of the two applications where we are the lead Member State, we have "stopped the clock" by seeking further information from the applicants.
Directive 2001/18 sets out clear deadlines for each stage of the decision-making process. Where the UK is the lead Member State (which we are in relation to two applications for import only - i.e. not for cultivation here), we are required by the Directive to prepare an assessment report within 90 days of receiving the application. Not to do so would put us in breach of the law. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that the Government should not submit opinions on any of the applications during the period of the public debate on GM issues. On the two submitted to us, we are bound to do so. On the others, if the Government does not submit an opinion on a particular application then this will be taken to mean that we agree with the lead Member State's favourable assessment.
If we were to be concerned that a particular crop may pose a risk to human health or the environment then it is clearly important that the UK submits a reasoned objection. In any event, it is important that we contribute to thorough scrutiny of these applications, especially as non participation would not delay the timetable for taking decisions in Brussels.
The Government shares the European Commission's view that the EU moratorium is illegal, and we have long supported a return to evidence-based decision-making in the EU.
With regard to the applications for commercial cultivation:
· Seven are for herbicide-tolerant crops. Since our crop trials are assessing the environmental impact of the herbicide use associated with these crops, we intend to comment to the effect that we will not be able to give our final view until we have assessed the trial results.
· Two are for cotton, which is not suited to cultivation in the UK, and one is for industrial starch potato which is not intended for cultivation in the UK.
In any event we have a voluntary agreement with the UK agri-biotech industry that no GM crops will be grown commercially in the UK until we have assessed the crop trial results. I understand that it has never been likely that the first set of results would be published before September.
In the meantime we look forward to an effective and hopefully high-profile public debate and dialogue in the UK on GM issues. We have recently increased the funding for the debate to £500,000 - double the original budget. The debate is being managed at arm's length from Government by an independent Steering Board. The main debate activities are likely to take place between May and July, and the Steering Board is due to report in September. The Government has already given a commitment that we will make a written response to the Steering Board's report and that we will indicate what we have learned from the debate when making future policy announcements.
The public debate is intended to provide people with the opportunity to raise the questions that concern them on the issues surrounding GM, and receive the fullest answers the debate process can provide so that they can make their own judgments. I believe that the issues for debate should be framed by the public themselves, and indeed the Steering Board has gone to great lengths to ensure that that is the case.
On any assessment, final decisions at EU level on any of the 19 applications are unlikely to be taken before the end of the year at the very earliest. By that time we will have the first set of results from our crop trials, the report of the public debate, and the information provided by the other parts of the work programme on GM that the Government has put in place. We will decide our policy on the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK, in consultation with the Devolved Administrations, based on an objective assessment of all the available information.
Page published 11 June
2003;
Page last modified
31 October, 2003