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REUTERS: EU court annuls approval of BASF's Amflora GMO potato.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/13/eu-gmo-potato-idUSL6N0JS1TH20131213
EU court annuls approval of BASF's Amflora GMO potato
Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:23am EST
By Charlie Dunmore
BRUSSELS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Europe's second-highest court on Friday overturned a decision by the European Commission to allow the cultivation and sale of a genetically modified potato developed by German chemicals group BASF.
The General Court of the European Union said the Commission had failed to follow the bloc's rules when approving the Amflora potato, which is genetically modified to produce extra starch for use in the paper industry.
While Amflora is no longer grown in Europe - BASF withdrew the product in 2012, citing opposition to the technology - the ruling raises new concerns about the EU's complex and much-criticised approval system for GMO crops.
"Because the Commission significantly failed to fulfil its procedural obligations, the General Court has annulled the connected decisions," the court said.
The Commission and BASF were not immediately available for comment.
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EU court annuls approval of BASF's Amflora GMO potato
Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:23am EST
* EU Commission broke rules when it gave approval, court says
* BASF stopped growing Amflora potato in Europe in 2012
* Decision casts more doubt on Europe's GMO approval rules
By Charlie Dunmore
BRUSSELS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Europe's second-highest court on Friday overturned a decision by the European Commission to allow the cultivation and sale of a genetically modified potato developed by German chemicals group BASF.
The General Court of the European Union said the Commission had failed to follow the bloc's rules when approving the Amflora potato, which is genetically modified to produce extra starch for use in the paper industry.
While Amflora is no longer grown in Europe - BASF withdrew the product in 2012, citing opposition to the technology - the ruling raises new concerns about the EU's complex and much-criticised approval system for GMO crops.
"Because the Commission significantly failed to fulfil its procedural obligations, the General Court has annulled the connected decisions," the court said.
The Commission and BASF were not immediately available for comment.
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