Reports and Studies
Commissioned Studies
 1. Management of field trials
"Analysis of field trials management in Member States and prevention of accidental entry into the market place" prepared for the Commission by the Central Science Laboratory and sub-contractors.
The study was undertaken to review the approach to the management of field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops held in the Member States (MS) of the European Union under Part B of Council Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMO's) into the environment. The study spans the period October 2002 (when the Directive came into force) to March 2008. Part B of the Directive covers the issuing of consents for the deliberate release of GMOs for any other purpose than for placing on the market e.g for research and development purposes.
Basic information on the management of GMO field trials was gathered from all EU MS while more detailed information was gathered from seven selected MS (France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK). Notifiers who have undertaken field trials in more than one MS also provided data on their experiences. A database summarising all EU Part B notifications for plants that have been submitted under Directive 2001/18/EC up to the end of March 2008 and a review of current and potential future releases of GMOs in Europe, were both completed during the course of the study. The study only refers to trials of GM plants. The main focus of the study was trials of GM maize, oilseed rape, potato, sugar beet and cotton crops.
2. Long-term effects (2006)
Cumulative long-term effects of genetically modified (GM) crops on human/animal health and the environment: risk assessment methodologies (March 2006) - study carried out by the Central Science Laboratory for the European Commission.
3. Long-term effects (2009)
Long-term effects of genetically modified (GM) crops on health and the environment (including biodiversity): Prioritisation of potential risks and delimitation of uncertainties" prepared for the Commission by a consortium of three partners, i.e. the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety, BLaU-Umweltstudien and Genius GmbH
The study was undertaken to address the question of potential long-term (10-20 years) effects on health and the environment (including biodiversity) of genetically modified plants through their placing on the market in the EU, in particular their cultivation. The contractors focused on the four GM crops most relevant to the EU, i.e. insect resistant maize (specifically Bt maize), herbicide tolerant oilseed rape and sugar beet, and starch-modified potato. The contractors used outputs from literature reviews, online surveys and a workshop to rank the likelihood of adverse long-term effects from crop-trait combinations. The analysis focuses on likelihoods of occurrence of effects, identifies uncertainties and makes suggestions for ways of minimising these (such as modelling and improvements in monitoring methodology), and for other specific actions that could increase knowledge (e.g. research areas). The report does not consider the possible magnitude of the risks due to lack of quantitative information (because of the nature of long-term effects), nor measures to mitigate them.
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