Guidance on risk assessment of herbicide tolerant GM plants by the European Food Safety Authority

Abstract

In the European Union, Directive 2001/18 requires that environmental consequences of changes in the management of GM crops are evaluated in applications. In the case of GMHT crops this includes assessing the environmental impact of the changes in weed management in GMHT crops and farming systems. EFSA is currently updating its guidance on the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of GM plants and is specifically considering these types of interactions when compared with conventional weed management practices. In an ERA, the main features to be considered and assessed are: (1) Impacts of the changed management of the GMHT crops on farmland biodiversity. (2) Impacts of changed management of HT volunteers and seed bank populations on farmland biodiversity. (3) Environmental consequences of changes in management resulting from gene flow of the HT trait to other crop, weed and wild species, including plants already containing other GM events and herbicide tolerances. (4) Environmental consequences of the development of herbicide resistance in weeds exposed to the herbicides associated with HT crops. When an ERA identifies potential risks (e.g. to farmland biodiversity), then EFSA is requesting that applicants propose management measures to mitigate or limit the environmental harm, including the introduction of stewardship and post market monitoring programmes. These should be done in conjunction with appropriate stakeholders in each member state in order to optimise the use of the herbicides for both local agronomic and environmental requirements.