The Commission infringed the procedural rules of the systems for authorising GMOs in the European Union
Luxembourg, 16-12-2013 — /EuropaWire/ — In the territory of the European Union, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may be released into the environment or placed on the market only if consent has been given, subject to specific conditions and granted with a view to specified uses, after a scientific assessment of the risks.
The authorisation system consists of two different procedures which are applied depending on the intended use of the GMOs. The aim of the first procedure, whose rules are laid down by Directive 2001/18/EC¹, is to authorise GMOs with a view to their deliberate release into the environment. Within the framework of that procedure, it is in principle for the Member State with which an undertaking has lodged an application for this purpose to issue consent. However, the other Member States, and also the Commission, may raise objections vis-à-vis the intended consent decision.
The second authorisation procedure, set up by Regulation 1829/2003², concerns genetically modified food and feed. In that case, the application for consent is assessed at EU level.
Where, in the context of the first procedure, an objection has been raised or, in the context of the second procedure, an application for consent has been submitted, the final decision on the authorisation is taken by the Commission or by the Council on the basis of the scientific opinions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
In those situations, the Commission is assisted by two committees³ made up of representatives from the Member States who express their respective opinions with knowledge of the opinions of the EFSA. If the opinion of the competent committee is in favour of the authorisation of the GMO, the Commission will grant consent. If that is not the case, or if no opinion has been given, the Commission will submit a proposal for authorisation to the Council, which may grant or oppose it. If the Council does not adopt a decision, the Commission will grant the consent.
The company BASF Plant Science GmbH first asked the Swedish authorities, through a subsidiary, to authorise the placing on the market of the genetically modified potato Amflora with a view to its cultivation and use for industrial purposes. Several Member States having made observations regarding that application, the taking of the final decision was entrusted to the EU authorities.
Secondly, the company BASF directly initiated an authorisation procedure before the EU authorities with a view to the production of animal feed based on that potato. That latter application also covered the situation of the adventitious presence of GMO traces in food for human or animal consumption.
After receiving favourable opinions from the EFSA in 2005, the Commission submitted the proposals for authorisation to the committees then, receiving no opinion from them, to the Council, which did not adopt a decision. In consequence, the Commission could have granted the authorisations applied for at that stage. However, having received, during the authorisation procedures, information concerning inconsistencies between different scientific opinions of the EFSA, the Commission did not grant the authorisations but decided to consult that authority again so that the latter could explain its opinions. In June 2009, the EFSA adopted a consolidated scientific opinion in which it (there being minority opinions conflicting with its conclusions) confirmed that the Amflora potato did not present a risk to human health or to the environment. Following that opinion, no new draft decisions were put before the competent committees by the Commission, which granted the two authorisations applied for by decisions of 2 March 20104.
Taking the view, however, that the Amflora potato presents a risk to human and animal health and also to the environment, Hungary brought an action for annulment of the Commission’s authorisation decisions. France, Luxembourg, Austria and Poland intervened in the proceedings in support of Hungary.
In its judgment delivered today, the General Court has found, first of all, that the Commission, before adopting the contested decisions, did not submit the amended drafts of those decisions, together with the EFSA’s consolidated opinion of 2009 and the minority opinions, to the competent committees. Whereas the enacting terms of the contested decisions are identical to those of the draft decisions initially submitted to the competent committees and to the Council, that is not the case with the scientific foundation used by the Commission in order to adopt those decisions. In consequence, the General Court finds that, by having decided to request a consolidated opinion from the EFSA, and by basing the contested decisions on, inter alia, that opinion without allowing the competent committees to comment on the opinion or on the amended draft decisions, the Commission departed from the rules of the authorisation procedures.
In that respect, the General Court takes the view that, if the Commission had complied with those rules, the result of the procedure or the content of the contested decisions could have been substantially different. As the votes on the previous drafts within the committees were very divided, and as the conclusions of the EFSA’s consolidated opinion of 2009, coupled with the minority opinions, expressed more uncertainties than the previous opinions of the EFSA, it was therefore possible that the members of the committees might review their position and decide for or against the authorisations applied for. Furthermore, if there had been an unfavourable opinion or if there had been no opinion from the committees, the Commission would have been obliged to submit the proposals for authorisation to the Council, which could have decided for or against the authorisations in question. It was only at the end of that procedure, when there is no decision by the Council, that the Commission could have adopted its decisions. In that regard, the General Court finds that the addition in the drafts of the contested decisions of a statement of reasons referring to a new opinion of the EFSA by way of scientific foundation constitutes a substantial alteration to those drafts in relation to their previous version. As a consequence, those decisions cannot be considered to be identical to the previous drafts and proposals. In addition, the consolidated opinion of 2009, which includes major differences in relation to the previous opinions of the EFSA, must be treated as a new substantive assessment and not as a simple, purely formal confirmation of the assessments of the risks contained in the previous opinions.
In those circumstances, because the Commission significantly failed to fulfil its procedural obligations, the General Court has annulled the contested decisions.
NOTE: An appeal, limited to points of law only, may be brought before the Court of Justice against the decision of the General Court within two months of notification of the decision.
NOTE: An action for annulment seeks the annulment of acts of the institutions of the European Union that are contrary to European Union law. The Member States, the European institutions and individuals may, under certain conditions, bring an action for annulment before the Court of Justice or the General Court. If the action is well founded, the act is annulled. The institution concerned must fill any legal vacuum created by the annulment of the act.
Unofficial document for media use, not binding on the General Court.
The full text of the judgment is published on the CURIA website on the day of delivery Press contact: Christopher Fretwell (+352) 4303 3355
Pictures of the delivery of the judgment are available from “Europe by Satellite” (+32) 2 2964106
¹Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC (OJ 2001 L 106, p. 1).
²Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed (OJ 2003 L 268, p. 1).
³The present case involves the Regulatory Committee on the Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms, established by Directive 2001/18/EC, and the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003.
4Commission Decision 2010/135/EU of 2 March 2010 concerning the placing on the market, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of a potato product (Solanum tuberosum L. line EH92-527-1) genetically modified for enhanced content of the amylopectin component of starch (OJ 2010 L 53, p. 11) and Commission Decision 2010/136/EU of 2 March 2010 authorising the placing on the market of feed produced from the genetically modified potato EH92-527-1 (BPS-25271-9) and the adventitious or technically unavoidable presence of the potato in food and other feed products under [Regulation No 1829/2003] (OJ 2010 L 53, p. 15).
- Aortic Aneurysms: EU-funded Pandora Project Brings In-Silico Modelling to Aid Surgeons
- BREAKING NEWS: New Podcast “Spreading the Good BUZZ” Hosted by Josh and Heidi Case Launches July 7th with Explosive Global Reach and a Mission to Transform Lives Through Hope and Community in Recovery
- Cha Cha Cha kohtub krüptomaailmaga: Winz.io teeb koostööd Euroopa visionääri ja staari Käärijäga
- Digi Communications N.V. announces Conditional stock options granted to Executive Directors of the Company, for the year 2025, based on the general shareholders’ meeting approval from 25 June 20244
- Cha Cha Cha meets crypto: Winz.io partners with European visionary star Käärijä
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the exercise of conditional share options by the executive directors of the Company, for the year 2024, as approved by the Company’s OGSM from 25 June 2024
- “Su Fortuna Se Ha Construido A Base de La Defraudación Fiscal”: Críticas Resurgen Contra Ricardo Salinas en Medio de Nuevas Revelaciones Judiciales y Fiscaleso
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the availability of the instruction regarding the payment of share dividend for the 2024 financial year
- SOILRES project launches to revive Europe’s soils and future-proof farming
- Josh Case, ancien cadre d’ENGIE Amérique du Nord, PDG de Photosol US Renewable Energy et consultant d’EDF Amérique du Nord, engage aujourd’hui toute son énergie dans la lutte contre la dépendance
- Bizzy startet den AI Sales Agent in Deutschland: ein intelligenter Agent zur Automatisierung der Vertriebspipeline
- Bizzy lance son agent commercial en France : un assistant intelligent qui automatise la prospection
- Bizzy lancia l’AI Sales Agent in Italia: un agente intelligente che automatizza la pipeline di vendita
- Bizzy lanceert AI Sales Agent in Nederland: slimme assistent automatiseert de sales pipeline
- Bizzy startet AI Sales Agent in Österreich: ein smarter Agent, der die Sales-Pipeline automatisiert
- Bizzy wprowadza AI Sales Agent w Polsce: inteligentny agent, który automatyzuje budowę lejka sprzedaży
- Bizzy lanza su AI Sales Agent en España: un agente inteligente que automatiza la generación del pipeline de ventas
- Bizzy launches AI Sales Agent in the UK: a smart assistant that automates sales pipeline generation
- As Sober.Buzz Community Explodes Its Growth Globally it is Announcing “Spreading the Good BUZZ” Podcast Hosted by Josh Case Debuting July 7th
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the OGMS resolutions and the availability of the approved 2024 Annual Report
- Escándalo Judicial en Aumento Alarma a la Opinión Pública: Suprema Corte de México Enfrenta Acusaciones de Favoritismo hacia el Aspirante a Magnate Ricardo Salinas Pliego
- Winz.io Named AskGamblers’ Best Casino 2025
- Kissflow Doubles Down on Germany as a Strategic Growth Market with New AI Features and Enterprise Focus
- Digi Communications N.V. announces Share transaction made by a Non-Executive Director of the Company with class B shares
- Salinas Pliego Intenta Frenar Investigaciones Financieras: UIF y Expertos en Corrupción Prenden Alarmas
- Digital integrity at risk: EU Initiative to strengthen the Right to be forgotten gains momentum
- Orden Propuesta De Arresto E Incautación Contra Ricardo Salinas En Corte De EE.UU
- Digi Communications N.V. announced that Serghei Bulgac, CEO and Executive Director, sold 15,000 class B shares of the company’s stock
- PFMcrypto lancia un sistema di ottimizzazione del reddito basato sull’intelligenza artificiale: il mining di Bitcoin non è mai stato così facile
- Azteca Comunicaciones en Quiebra en Colombia: ¿Un Presagio para Banco Azteca?
- OptiSigns anuncia su expansión Europea
- OptiSigns annonce son expansion européenne
- OptiSigns kündigt europäische Expansion an
- OptiSigns Announces European Expansion
- Digi Communications NV announces release of Q1 2025 financial report
- Banco Azteca y Ricardo Salinas Pliego: Nuevas Revelaciones Aumentan la Preocupación por Riesgos Legales y Financieros
- Digi Communications NV announces Investors Call for the presentation of the Q1 2025 Financial Results
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the publication of the 2024 Annual Financial Report and convocation of the Company’s general shareholders meeting for June 18, 2025, for the approval of, among others, the 2024 Annual Financial Report, available on the Company’s website
- La Suprema Corte Sanciona a Ricardo Salinas de Grupo Elektra por Obstrucción Legal
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the conclusion of an Incremental to the Senior Facilities Agreement dated 21 April 2023
- 5P Europe Foundation: New Initiative for African Children
- 28-Mar-2025: Digi Communications N.V. announces the conclusion of Facilities Agreements by companies within Digi Group
- Aeroluxe Expeditions Enters U.S. Market with High-Touch Private Jet Journeys—At a More Accessible Price ↗️
- SABIO GROUP TAKES IT’S ‘DISRUPT’ CX PROGRAMME ACROSS EUROPE
- EU must invest in high-quality journalism and fact-checking tools to stop disinformation
- ¿Está Banco Azteca al borde de la quiebra o de una intervención gubernamental? Preocupaciones crecientes sobre la inestabilidad financiera
- Netmore and Zenze Partner to Deploy LoRaWAN® Networks for Cargo and Asset Monitoring at Ports and Terminals Worldwide
- Rise Point Capital: Co-investing with Independent Sponsors to Unlock International Investment Opportunities
- Netmore Launches Metering-as-a-Service to Accelerate Smart Metering for Water and Gas Utilities
- Digi Communications N.V. announces that a share transaction was made by a Non-Executive Director of the Company with class B shares
- La Ballata del Trasimeno: Il Mediometraggio si Trasforma in Mini Serie
- Digi Communications NV Announces Availability of 2024 Preliminary Financial Report
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the recent evolution and performance of the Company’s subsidiary in Spain
- BevZero Equipment Sales and Distribution Enhances Dealcoholization Capabilities with New ClearAlc 300 l/h Demonstration Unit in Spain Facility
- Digi Communications NV announces Investors Call for the presentation of the 2024 Preliminary Financial Results
- Reuters webinar: Omnibus regulation Reuters post-analysis
- Patients as Partners® Europe Launches the 9th Annual Event with 2025 Keynotes, Featured Speakers and Topics
- eVTOLUTION: Pioneering the Future of Urban Air Mobility
- Reuters webinar: Effective Sustainability Data Governance
- Las acusaciones de fraude contra Ricardo Salinas no son nuevas: una perspectiva histórica sobre los problemas legales del multimillonario
- Digi Communications N.V. Announces the release of the Financial Calendar for 2025
- USA Court Lambasts Ricardo Salinas Pliego For Contempt Of Court Order
- 3D Electronics: A New Frontier of Product Differentiation, Thinks IDTechEx
- Ringier Axel Springer Polska Faces Lawsuit for Over PLN 54 million
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the availability of the report on corporate income tax information for the financial year ending December 31, 2023
- Unlocking the Multi-Million-Dollar Opportunities in Quantum Computing
- Digi Communications N.V. Announces the Conclusion of Facilities Agreements by Companies within Digi Group
- The Hidden Gem of Deep Plane Facelifts
- KAZANU: Redefining Naturist Hospitality in Saint Martin ↗️
- New IDTechEx Report Predicts Regulatory Shifts Will Transform the Electric Light Commercial Vehicle Market
- Almost 1 in 4 Planes Sold in 2045 to be Battery Electric, Finds IDTechEx Sustainable Aviation Market Report
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the release of Q3 2024 financial results
- Digi Communications NV announces Investors Call for the presentation of the Q3 2024 Financial Results
- Pilot and Electriq Global announce collaboration to explore deployment of proprietary hydrogen transport, storage and power generation technology
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding by its subsidiary in Romania
- Digi Communications N.V. announces that the Company’s Portuguese subsidiary finalised the transaction with LORCA JVCO Limited
- Digi Communications N.V. announces that the Portuguese Competition Authority has granted clearance for the share purchase agreement concluded by the Company’s subsidiary in Portugal
- OMRON Healthcare introduceert nieuwe bloeddrukmeters met AI-aangedreven AFib-detectietechnologie; lancering in Europa september 2024
- OMRON Healthcare dévoile de nouveaux tensiomètres dotés d’une technologie de détection de la fibrillation auriculaire alimentée par l’IA, lancés en Europe en septembre 2024
- OMRON Healthcare presenta i nuovi misuratori della pressione sanguigna con tecnologia di rilevamento della fibrillazione atriale (AFib) basata sull’IA, in arrivo in Europa a settembre 2024
- OMRON Healthcare presenta los nuevos tensiómetros con tecnología de detección de fibrilación auricular (FA) e inteligencia artificial (IA), que se lanzarán en Europa en septiembre de 2024
- Alegerile din Moldova din 2024: O Bătălie pentru Democrație Împotriva Dezinformării
- Northcrest Developments launches design competition to reimagine 2-km former airport Runway into a vibrant pedestrianized corridor, shaping a new era of placemaking on an international scale
- The Road to Sustainable Electric Motors for EVs: IDTechEx Analyzes Key Factors
- Infrared Technology Breakthroughs Paving the Way for a US$500 Million Market, Says IDTechEx Report
- MegaFair Revolutionizes the iGaming Industry with Skill-Based Games
- European Commission Evaluates Poland’s Media Adherence to the Right to be Forgotten
- Global Race for Autonomous Trucks: Europe a Critical Region Transport Transformation
- Digi Communications N.V. confirms the full redemption of €450,000,000 Senior Secured Notes
- AT&T Obtiene Sentencia Contra Grupo Salinas Telecom, Propiedad de Ricardo Salinas, Sus Abogados se Retiran Mientras Él Mueve Activos Fuera de EE.UU. para Evitar Pagar la Sentencia
- Global Outlook for the Challenging Autonomous Bus and Roboshuttle Markets
- Evolving Brain-Computer Interface Market More Than Just Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Reports IDTechEx
- Latin Trails Wraps Up a Successful 3rd Quarter with Prestigious LATA Sustainability Award and Expands Conservation Initiatives ↗️
- Astor Asset Management 3 Ltd leitet Untersuchung für potenzielle Sammelklage gegen Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego von Grupo ELEKTRA wegen Marktmanipulation und Wertpapierbetrug ein
- Digi Communications N.V. announces that the Company’s Romanian subsidiary exercised its right to redeem the Senior Secured Notes due in 2025 in principal amount of €450,000,000
- Astor Asset Management 3 Ltd Inicia Investigación de Demanda Colectiva Contra Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego de Grupo ELEKTRA por Manipulación de Acciones y Fraude en Valores
- Astor Asset Management 3 Ltd Initiating Class Action Lawsuit Inquiry Against Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego of Grupo ELEKTRA for Stock Manipulation & Securities Fraud
- Digi Communications N.V. announced that its Spanish subsidiary, Digi Spain Telecom S.L.U., has completed the first stage of selling a Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network in 12 Spanish provinces
- Natural Cotton Color lancia la collezione "Calunga" a Milano
- Astor Asset Management 3 Ltd: Salinas Pliego Incumple Préstamo de $110 Millones USD y Viola Regulaciones Mexicanas
- Astor Asset Management 3 Ltd: Salinas Pliego Verstößt gegen Darlehensvertrag über 110 Mio. USD und Mexikanische Wertpapiergesetze
- ChargeEuropa zamyka rundę finansowania, której przewodził fundusz Shift4Good tym samym dokonując historycznej francuskiej inwestycji w polski sektor elektromobilności
- Strengthening EU Protections: Robert Szustkowski calls for safeguarding EU citizens’ rights to dignity
- Digi Communications NV announces the release of H1 2024 Financial Results
- Digi Communications N.V. announces that conditional stock options were granted to a director of the Company’s Romanian Subsidiary
- Digi Communications N.V. announces Investors Call for the presentation of the H1 2024 Financial Results
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the conclusion of a share purchase agreement by its subsidiary in Portugal
- Digi Communications N.V. Announces Rating Assigned by Fitch Ratings to Digi Communications N.V.
- Digi Communications N.V. announces significant agreements concluded by the Company’s subsidiaries in Spain
- SGW Global Appoints Telcomdis as the Official European Distributor for Motorola Nursery and Motorola Sound Products
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the availability of the instruction regarding the payment of share dividend for the 2023 financial year
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the exercise of conditional share options by the executive directors of the Company, for the year 2023, as approved by the Company’s Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meetings from 18th May 2021 and 28th December 2022
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the granting of conditional stock options to Executive Directors of the Company based on the general shareholders’ meeting approval from 25 June 2024
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the OGMS resolutions and the availability of the approved 2023 Annual Report
- Czech Composer Tatiana Mikova Presents Her String Quartet ‘In Modo Lidico’ at Carnegie Hall
- SWIFTT: A Copernicus-based forest management tool to map, mitigate, and prevent the main threats to EU forests
- WickedBet Unveils Exciting Euro 2024 Promotion with Boosted Odds
- Museum of Unrest: a new space for activism, art and design
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the conclusion of a Senior Facility Agreement by companies within Digi Group
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the agreements concluded by Digi Romania (formerly named RCS & RDS S.A.), the Romanian subsidiary of the Company
- Green Light for Henri Hotel, Restaurants and Shops in the “Alter Fischereihafen” (Old Fishing Port) in Cuxhaven, opening Summer 2026
- Digi Communications N.V. reports consolidated revenues and other income of EUR 447 million, adjusted EBITDA (excluding IFRS 16) of EUR 140 million for Q1 2024
- Digi Communications announces the conclusion of Facilities Agreements by companies from Digi Group
- Digi Communications N.V. Announces the convocation of the Company’s general shareholders meeting for 25 June 2024 for the approval of, among others, the 2023 Annual Report
- Digi Communications NV announces Investors Call for the presentation of the Q1 2024 Financial Results
- Digi Communications intends to propose to shareholders the distribution of dividends for the fiscal year 2023 at the upcoming General Meeting of Shareholders, which shall take place in June 2024
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the availability of the Romanian version of the 2023 Annual Report
- Digi Communications N.V. announces the availability of the 2023 Annual Report
- International Airlines Group adopts Airline Economics by Skailark ↗️
- BevZero Spain Enhances Sustainability Efforts with Installation of Solar Panels at Production Facility
- Digi Communications N.V. announces share transaction made by an Executive Director of the Company with class B shares
- BevZero South Africa Achieves FSSC 22000 Food Safety Certification
- Digi Communications N.V.: Digi Spain Enters Agreement to Sell FTTH Network to International Investors for Up to EUR 750 Million
- Patients as Partners® Europe Announces the Launch of 8th Annual Meeting with 2024 Keynotes and Topics
- driveMybox continues its international expansion: Hungary as a new strategic location
- Monesave introduces Socialised budgeting: Meet the app quietly revolutionising how users budget
- Digi Communications NV announces the release of the 2023 Preliminary Financial Results
- Digi Communications NV announces Investors Call for the presentation of the 2023 Preliminary Financial Results
- Lensa, един от най-ценените търговци на оптика в Румъния, пристига в България. Първият шоурум е открит в София
- Criando o futuro: desenvolvimento da AENO no mercado de consumo em Portugal
- Digi Communications N.V. Announces the release of the Financial Calendar for 2024
- Customer Data Platform Industry Attracts New Participants: CDP Institute Report
- eCarsTrade annonce Dirk Van Roost au poste de Directeur Administratif et Financier: une décision stratégique pour la croissance à venir
- BevZero Announces Strategic Partnership with TOMSA Desil to Distribute equipment for sustainability in the wine industry, as well as the development of Next-Gen Dealcoholization technology
- Editor's pick archive....