The European Commission has announced that two cottonseed oils processed from genetically modified cotton are being placed on the European Union (EU) market.


Brussels is taking no action against the imports as it says they are “indistinguishable from conventional cottonseed oils and can therefore be considered as being substantially equivalent to conventional cottonseed oils with respect to composition, nutritional value, metabolism, intended use and the level of undesirable substances that they contain.”


The two oils do not contain transgenic DNA or protein and will be labelled as being derived from a GMO once the proposed EU Regulation on GM food and GM feed enters into force; it is awaiting a second reading at the European Parliament. GM cotton is not grown in the EU nor can it be imported.