Following agreement earlier this year to the field cultivation of GM barley and potatoes, the German government recently announced permission for GM wheat to be planted. The high protein variety strain to be grown on an area of 1,200 square metres has been approved at Gatersleben in Saxony-Anhalt in east Germany at the Leibniz Agricultural Research Institute.

The area is obviously not very large but the symbolism of breaking of the ice is of major importance: some 30,000 objections from the public were taken into account in making the decision.

Inevitably, the decision was attacked by pressure groups: self-appointed “consumer” and “nature” “protection” organisations and, as always, organic groups afraid of competition.

Reports comment that although the German public is very safety-conscious about food, the GM question is not a major issue in the country. Three recent articles in the German press discuss the issue (1-3).

Elsewhere, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has had its eyes far to the south.

Having presented 71 publications and statements to the European Commission, Greece on March 29, 2006 issued a provisional ban on MON810 based on the so-called "safeguard clause". The European Commission then asked EFSA’s GMO panel to review the documents.

In an opinion paper (4), EFSA has found that MON810 "is unlikely to have adverse effects on human and animal health or on the environment". The panel also said that there was insufficient scientific evidence that the environment or ecology of Greece was different from other regions in the EU to merit separate risk assessments in addition to those already conducted in other EU regions.

The GMO panel concluded:

* There is no new data that would invalidate the initial risk assessment conducted on MON810 maize established under Directive 90/220/EEC or Directive 2001/18/EC
* There is no specific scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human health and the environment, that would justify a prohibition of cultivation of the MON810 maize authorised under Directive 90/220/EEC or Directive 2001/18/EC in Greece.

Sources:

1. Knusprige Fischstäbchen. Süddeutsche Zeitung (28.11.2006) (http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sz/2006-11-28/wissen/artikel/HMG-2006-11-28-020-YkuxkfJu_1JGGX8_iqICqw)

2. Stärke für die Knolle. Süddeutsche Zeitung (28.11.06) (http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/artikel/5/92912)

3. Grüne Gentechnik sorgt für Streit. Der Spiegel (27.11.06) (http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/0,1518,450918,00.html)

4, EU Authority says MON810 is safe for Greece. Seed Today (22.11.06) (http://www.seedtoday.com/articles/EU_Authority_Says_MON810_is_Safe_for_Greece-39359.html)

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