EU takes Poland to court over GMOs

Date:06-27-2013

The European Commission decided to take Poland to the European Court of Justice for non-compliance with EU rules on monitoring of Genetically Modified Organisms' cultivation.

Directive 2001/18/EC requires that GMO cultivation locations are notified to competent national authorities, recorded in a register established by the Member State, and made known to the public. This process ensures that appropriate information is made available to the public; permits monitoring of possible effects of GMOs on the environment; and allows the establishment of coexistence measures. Poland has so far failed to include these requirements into its national legislation.

GMOs may be grown in the EU provided that they have been authorised for this purpose, and after having successfully undergone an assessment of risks to human and animal health as well as to the environment.

On the 22 November 2012, the Commission sent a reasoned opinion asking Poland to take action to address deficiencies in the implementation of the EU legislation concerning the monitoring of GMO cultivation.

Poland so far, despite repeated calls by the Commission to include these requirements into its national legislation has failed to adequately comply with applicable EU law.