Testbiotech group asked for ban of GM Maize 1507

The Testbiotech group recently once more asked for the market authorisation of genetically engineered maize 1507 to be stopped through a letter to the EU Commission. The reason for this letter is a statement from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concerning two reports submitted by Testbiotech previously. These reports mostly concentrate on the deficiency in risk assessment and lack of reliable data, and were sent by the EU Commission to the EFSA for reviews.

Maize 1507 from DuPont/Dow AgroSciences is genetically engineered to produce an insecticidal toxin and was made resistant to a herbicide glufosinate. The EU Commission announced at beginning of the year that market authorization for cultivation will be given soon, however, the official approval date was not given. EU environment ministers has recently approved that EU Member States are allowed to ban on the cultivation of EU-approved GM crops.

Testbiotech holds that the EFSA statement does not invalidate the most crucial point raised by them, and EFSA merely defends its own risk assessment.