ASA was joined on the letters by 18 other farm, commodity, grain processing, grain trade and biotechnology associations throughout the U.S. agricultural value chain. There are currently nine products, including four soybean products, which have already received positive European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinions and completed the subsequent review process, but are still awaiting final authorization for import for food and feed use from the E.U.’s College of Commissioners.
In a letter to USTR Michael Froman, the groups encouraged the administration to contact E.U. Commission President Barroso to ensure action on the pending events in September and to ask the E.U. to respect its obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) to make timely regulatory decisions on new biotechnology applications.
In a letter to the E.U. Commission, the groups stated that, “the time required for E.U. decisions on new biotech crops has only lengthened in recent years and no authorizations have been issued since November 2013. Some of the products have been before the European Commission since the end of 2013 and were submitted to EFSA more than five years ago.
“Several of these products are already being commercialized under stewardship programs in the U.S. and elsewhere, and failure to approve them at the meeting of the College of Commissioners in September will increase the risk of trade disruptions during the coming months.”
The letters emphasized that the delays could cause feed shortages and price increases, which would affect European producers, traders, livestock industry and consumers.
Click here to read both letters.
