A European-wide network for systematic GMO impact assessment

17 October 2012 Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research - UFZ

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".

http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=30901

Attached files

GMO maize field between Timisoara (Timisoara) and Sannicolau Mare in Romania. The plains of the Banat is used for agriculture for centuries - for several years in the Romanian part for field trials with GMO plants. (The signs were obscured for privacy.) photo: Tilo Arnhold/UFZ

Full bibliographic informationGraef 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

Die Untersuchungen wurden vom Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz (BMELV) und dem Ministerium für Infrastruktur und Landwirtschaft des Landes Brandenburg unterstützt.