The EU is Not Removing GMO Safety Checks
The Claim
The EU Commission is beginning the process of removing safety checks on genetically modified crops.
News posted on
Emerging story
On April 29th, Friends of the Earth Europe posted a press release to their website titled, “EU Commission backs removing safety checks for new GMOs.” The release claimed that a new study by the EU Commission had resulted in the start of the process of breaking with decades of safety checks upon genetically modified crops. It also stated that GMO content would not be labelled on shelved food products.
A range of other sources then republished these claims. The story has also spread through social media posts.
Misbar’s Analysis
Our investigation has concluded that the title of the Friends of the Earth Europe press release does not reflect the actual content of the EU Commission study.
An example of a more accurate title that reflects the EU Commission study comes from Reuters: “EU calls for rethink of GMO rules for gene-edited crops.”
As the EU Commission has stated, the results of its study concluded that current GMO legislation, “is not fit for purpose for innovative technologies.” This conclusion does not mean that the safety checks on GMOs will be removed. Instead, the EU Commission has begun a broad consultation process which will result in a new legal framework. This consultation will include an, “open dialogue with citizens, Member States and the European Parliament.”
The EU Commission has also stated that it has analyzed the concerns regarding the safety and the labelling of GMO products.
Statements from the EU Commission make it clear that it will make safety a priority going forward with its new rules, and that it is consulting with as many people as possible on the future of its regulations. Any statement that claims that GMO safety checks are being removed is inaccurate, as this is not the conclusion of the EU Commission study. It is unlikely that safety checks will be removed after the EU Commission has concluded its consultation process.
