This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Teosinte in Spain'.


EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL 
ENVIRONMENT 
Directorate B - Natural Capital 
  ENV.B.1 - Agriculture, Forests and Soil  
Brussels, 01/06/2016 
ENV/CP  
NOTE TO 
  
DG SANTE. E.3 
Subject: 
REPLY FROM DG  ENV.B.1 TO 3 INTERSERVICE CONSULTATIONS LAUNCHED BY 
DG SANTE  

 
ISC/2016/01312 de la DG SANTE 
 
Draft Commission Implementing Decision authorising the placing on the market 
for cultivation of genetically modified maize Bt11 (SYN-BTØ11-1) seeds, in 
accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the 
Council  
  ISC/2016/01316 de la DG SANTE 
Draft Commission Implementing Decision renewing the authorisation for the 
placing on the market of genetically modified maize MON 810 (MON-00810-6) 
seeds for cultivation pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council 
Consultation ISC/2016/01321 de la DG SANTE 
Draft Commission Implementing Decision authorising the placing on the market 
for cultivation of genetically modified maize 1507 (DAS-Ø15Ø7-1) seeds, in 
accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the 
Council 
 
Notes signed by
:  MIKO Ladislav      
Deadline for replies:  1/06/2016 
  Service: DG SANTE. E.3  
 Favourable opinion 
  Favourable opinion subject to account being taken of the following comments 
 Unfavourable opinion 
 
Contact: 

 (Tel.: 

 
Comments 
Thank you for consulting DG Environment on the 3 draft proposals indicated in subject.   
Before the authorisation in the market of these maize varieties, we would ask that our 
comments as presented below are taken into account. 
DG SANTE is proposing to authorise or renew the marketing of seeds for cultivation in the EU 
of the 3 following maize varieties: 

-  The genetically modified maize MON810 (for renewal) which confers protection 
against certain lepidopteran insect pests, including the European Com Borer (ECB) 
(Ostrinia nubilalis) and pink borers (Sesamia spp). 
-  The genetically modified maize Bt11 which confers resistance to the European Corn 
borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and the Mediterranean com borer (Sesamia nonagrioides) and 
tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. 
-  The genetically modified maize 1507 which confers resistance to the European Corn 
borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and certain other lepidopteran pests and tolerance to the 
herbicide glufosinate ammonium. 
These proposals are based on scientific opinions provided by EFSA quite some time ago, which 
include environmental risk assessments:  
-  On maize MON 810, EFSA published an opinion on 30 June 2009 which concluded 
that MON 810 is unlikely to have any adverse effect on the environment. Three 
additional opinions were published in 2012 (two) and 2015.  
-  On maize Bt11, EFSA published an opinion on 19 May 2005 which concluded that 
there is no evidence to indicate that the placing of maize Bt11on the market is likely to 
cause adverse effect on the environment. Since then, 5 additional opinions addressing 
or being relevant for maize Bt11 have been published.  
-  On maize 1507, EFSA published an opinion on 3 March 2005 which concluded that 
there is no evidence to indicate that the placing on the market of maize 1507 is likely to 
cause adverse effects on the environment. Since then, 6 additional opinions addressing 
or being relevant for maize 1507 have been published. 
We are concerned that the risk assessments which are used as the basis for the decision are 
comparatively old and do not take account of more recent substantial evidence. 
Moreover, these assessment have, in our view some additional gaps. 
Teosinte is maize's ancestor and the gene flow between maize and teosinte is known. However 
the EFSA assessment do not take into account the occurrence of teosinte in the EU and are 
all based on the following assumption: "for Zea maize any vertical gene transfer is limited to 
other maize plants as populations of sexually compatible wild relatives of maize are not known 
in Europe
". However, the presence of teosinte in Spain is attested in the regions Aragón and 
Cataluña and is also suspected to be present in Navarra. In the region of Aragón, information 
from 20141 estimated that teosinte could be present in about 200-300 ha. According to other 
sources, the total affected surface in Spain would be around 750 ha, most of it located in 
Aragón. The difficulties of identification of teosinte could have led to an under-estimation of 
the problem. There is no information on the possible presence of teosinte in natural areas. The 
development of teosinte as a weed in the fields has been so problematic that the regional 
authorities have promoted measures to fight against it in the areas affected2. In November 2014, 
a parliamentary question (question E-008766-14) alerted the Commission of the introduction of 
teosinte into Aragon and Catalonia (Spain).  
Therefore the scientific opinions of EFSA on the 3 GM maize varieties should be up-dated 
in order to take into account the presence of teosinte as a weed in the EU
 and the 
                                                 

http://www.aragon.es/estaticos/GobiernoAragon/Departamentos/AgriculturaGanaderiaMedioAmbiente/T
EMAS AGRICULTURA GANADERIA/Areas/03 Sanidad Vegetal/PUBLICACIONES CSCV/I F T
EOSINTE.pdf;  https://www.ruralcat.net/c/document library/get file?uuid=f1205dc5-5cbf-4a00-adb7-
127d84c6b0da&groupId=10136;  - http://www.ruralcat.net/c/document library/get file?uuid=00058f39-
ecb2-4d88-973c-3bff29035955&groupId=10136 
2 https://www.ruralcat.net/web/guest/noticia/-/journal content/2002/10136/9842282/