The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has undermined moves by Austria and Greece to block the sale of GM food products with prior European Union (EU) market approval.


Asked by the European Commission whether the countries have uncovered any new associated risks, EFSA concluded in both cases “there is no new scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human health and the environment”.


Austria has on three occasions blocked the use and sale in its territory of EU-approved GM maize Bt176, MON 810 and T25, and Greece has announced a long term ban on selling and using (similarly approved) GM spring oilseed rape Topas 19/2. EFSA’s ruling opens the way for the Commission to legally challenge these restrictions.