A European-wide network for systematic GMO impact assessment

In Europe there are many concerns about adverse environmental effects of GM crops, and the opinions on the outcomes of environmental risk assessments (ERA) differ largely. GM crop safety testing and introduction studies among the regulatory system are insufficiently developed. Therefore the proposed framework aims at improving the regulatory system.

Specific elements of the network are a) methodologies for both indicator and field site selection for GM crop ERA and PMEM, b) an EU-wide typology of agro-environments, c) a pan-European field testing network using GM crops, d) specific hypotheses on GM crop effects, and e) state-of-the art sampling, statistics and modelling approaches.

Involving actors from various sectors the network will address public concerns and create confidence in the ENSyGMO results, write a team of scientists in the open access journal “BioRisk”.

Publication:

Graef F, Römbke J, Binimelis R, Myhr AI, Hilbeck A, Breckling B, Dalgaard T, Stachow U, Catacora-Vargas G, Bøhn T, Quist D, Darvas B, Dudel G, Oehen B, Meyer H, Henle K, Wynne B, Metzger MJ, Knäbe S, Settele J, Székács A, Wurbs A, Bernard J, Murphy-Bokern D, Buiatti M, Giovannetti M, Debeljak M, Andersen E, Paetz A, Dzeroski S, Tappeser B, van Gestel CAM, Wosniok W, Séralini G-E, Aslaksen I, Pesch R, Maly S, Werner A (2012): A framework for a European network for a systematic environmental impact assessment of genetically modified organisms (GMO). BioRisk 7: 73–97. doi: 10.3897/biorisk.7.1969

http://www.pensoft.net/journals/biorisk/article/1969/abstract/a-framework-for-a-european-network-for-a-systematic-environmental-impact-assessment-of-genetically-modified-organisms-gm

The research was supported by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Agriculture of the State of Brandenburg.

Information:

Dr. Frieder Graef

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Institute of Land Use Systems (ZALF)

Phone: 033432-82-162

http://www.zalf.de/de/forschung/institute/lse/mitarbeiter/graef/Seiten/
default.aspx
sowie u.a.
PD Dr. Klaus Henle
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
Phone: 0341-235-1270
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=1868
or via
Tilo Arnhold (UFZ press office)
Phone: 0341-235-1635
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=640
Links:
EU regulation for GMO:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/authorisation/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/monitoring/index_en.htm
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