Annual report

2010 was a relatively quiet year for COGEM in terms of Dutch policy. The Trend analysis Biotechnology 2009 was presented during a successful symposium in January, to the then Minister of environment Jacqueline Cramer. However, a reaction on the trend analysis had to wait until 2011 because of the fall of the Dutch government.

At European level some important developments occurred. In Europe, GM crops have the attention of EFSA and the European Commission. In 2010 EFSA reviewed the guidance for environmental risk assessments of GM crops, for which COGEM submitted extensive comments in May. The guidances will eventually be declared binding for EU member states. Therefore, State Secretary Atsma asked COGEM for advice on the revised guidance at the end of the year. In addition, the European Commission proposed in 2010 to let Member States choose whether they want to grow GM crops on their own territory, to which stakeholders responded with mixed feelings.

COGEM focused in 2010 on the freedom of choice of consumers and producers in the form of an ethical-societal topic report. The classification of micro-organisms (including viruses) into risk categories was also extensively discussed. The blurred distinction between genetic modification and traditional plant breeding methods led to questions from the ministry on the interpretation of the regulations. The research projects commissioned by COGEM covered several topics that outline the scope of the framework in which the COGEM operates.

The annual report is published in Dutch. Click here to download the English summary of the annual report.

You may request a hard copy of all annual reports of COGEM at the secretariat. Please send an e-mail with your address and your request to info@cogem.net.