WASHINGTON, Dec. l3 /European Union/ -- The Scientific Committee on Plants has today published an opinion concerning the invocation by Austria of the safeguard clause of Council Directive 90/220 with respect to the authorisation of a specific genetically modified maize line (maize line T25).
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. On the basis of this risk assessment marketing approval for cultivation was given the same year.
The Committee states in particular 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.
The full text of the opinion is available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scp/out85_gmo_en.html SOURCE: European Union
Posted December 18, 2000.