WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3365/98 by Paul LANNOYE GMO marketing approval dossier: C/NL/96/10, Directive 90/220 (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)
3. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 348/1 I (Information) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER (1999/C 348/001) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3365/98 by Paul Lannoye (V) to the Commission (4 November 1998) Subject: GMO marketing approval dossier: C/NL/96/10, Directive 90/220 The Scientific Committee on Plants has delivered a negative opinion on Avebe’s application for marketing information for a transgenic potato. It concludes that without an adequate risk assessment of the potential consequences of horizontal gene transfer from the GM plants to humans, animals and the environment. it is not possible to fully assess the safety of the transgenic potato lines. Can the Commission explain the following: 1. Is this in fact the same issue on which the UK advisory committee ACRE, reached the conclusion that ‘the additional genes did not pose a risk to human health and the environment? 2. Were the same facts available to both committees and the same risk assessment criteria applied? 3. Which antibiotic-resistant genes are involved? ACRE refers to kanamycin, the SCP refers to amikacin? 4. Given the provisions of Article 19(4) of Directive 90/220 (EEC) (1) which lays down ‘that in no case should the description of the GMO or the evaluation of foreseeable effects including pathogenic and/or ecologically disruptive effects be kept confidential’ does the Commission now consider it to be in the public interest to publish the marketing application in full and the complete text of the SCP’s opinion? (1) OJ L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 15. Supplementary answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (6 May 1999) With regard to the publication of the complete opinion of the scientific committee on plants, the Commission had postponed its reply on this specific point because of claims of confidentiality by the notifier. After examination of the legal aspects connected with the publication of the full opinion (Article 19 of Council Directive 90/220/EEC of 23 April 1990 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and Article 10 of Commission Decision 97/579/EC of 23 July 1997 setting up scientific committees in the field of consumer health and food safety (1)) the Commission considers that the complete opinion can now be published apart from one sentence. This opinion will be put on the Internet as soon as possible. (1) OJ L 237, 28. 8. 1997