scrutinizing the current practice of the environmental risk assessment of gm maize applications for cultivation in the eu审查当前的实践环境的风险评估转基因玉米种植在欧盟申请.pdfVIP

Dolezel et al. Environmental Sciences Europe 2011, 23:33 /content/23/1/33 RESEARCH Open Access Scrutinizing the current practice of the environmental risk assessment of GM maize applications for cultivation in the EU 1* 1 2 3 1 Marion Dolezel , Marianne Miklau , Angelika Hilbeck , Mathias Otto , Michael Eckerstorfer , Andreas Heissenberger1, Beatrix Tappeser3 and Helmut Gaugitsch1 Abstract Purpose: The prevailing controversies on the potential environmental risks of genetically modified organisms [GMOs] still fuel ongoing discussions among European Union [EU] member states, risk assessors, applicants and scientists, even several years after the commercial introduction of GMOs. The disagreements mainly derive from the current risk assessment practice of GMOs and differences in the perceived environmental risks. Against this background, the aim of this study was to scrutinize the current practice of environmental risk assessment [ERA] of several GMO applications currently pending for authorisation in the EU. Methods: We analysed the data presented for three assessment categories of the ERA of genetically modified [GM] maize applications for cultivation in the European Union: the agronomic evaluations and the assessments of the effects of GM maize on target organisms and of its potential adverse effects on non-target organisms. Results: Major shortcomings causing considerable uncertainties related to the risk assessment were identified in all three categories. In addition, two principles of Directive 2001/18/EC are largely not fulfilled - the consideration of the receiving environment and the indirect effects, as mediated, e.g. by the application of the complementary herbicide in the case of herbicide-tol