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Genetically modified (GM) crops have been increasingly cultivated and consumed worldwide since the mid-1990’s. Between 1996 and 2019, the area of biotech crops increased 112-fold, making it the fastest adopted agricultural technology worldwide.An estimated 17 million farmers and their families benefit from GM technology today.

The import of genetically modified (GM) crops by the European Union contributes to environmental,
social and economic sustainability goals in the EU and in producing countries.

• Chemical Strategy for Sustainability and impacts on the PPP regulatory framework
• Guidance document on Operator exposure
• Guidance document on predicting environmental concentrations in soil
• Co-formulants/Annex III
• Allocation of Rapporteur Member States to facilitate pre submission meetings
• CropLife Europe conference

1.We support the EU ambition to act on global environmental issues in the framework of
international fora such as the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and
animal welfare via the sister organization to Codex with competence for animal health, the OIE1.

2. We call on the European Union to follow sound scientific evidence in setting Codex Alimentarius standards.

3. The integration of non – consumer safety and non – food trade related factors in Codex risk management could create unjustified barriers to trade or even block the important work of Codex.

• The import and cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in the European Union (EU) contributes to Europe’s goals for a sustainable food system and is a key driver of safe and affordable food.

• The EU imports approximately 70% of all protein-rich crops used in the feed sector, the majority of which are GM. GM technology allows the efficient use of agricultural land ensuring optimal yields and therefore securing EU livestock farmers a competitive and reliable feed supply to sustain their production.

• Cultivation of GM crops supports the expansion of conservation agriculture. Through optimization of insecticide use and Integrated Pest Management, GM crops can help promote carbon sequestration, soil health and GHG emissions reductions. In low- and middle-income producing countries, the adoption of GM crops has improved farmers’ livelihoods for the past quarter century.

Impact Assessment Study on EC 2030 Green Deal Targets for Sustainable Food Production commissioned by CropLife Europe and other agri associations produced by Wageningen University and Research

A data base of 102 replicates for operators undertaking hand-held spray application using a spray gun connected to a large spray tank has been established for operators spraying in Southern European greenhouses. An additional 94 replicates for operators mixing and loading solid and liquid formulations were generated to populate an identified data gap within existing exposure models.

Download here the model in excel 

1. Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for pesticides are trading standards that drive good
agricultural practice and ensure a level playing field for EU and other farmers. They are not an appropriate tool to be used to tackle environmental challenges in other countries.

2. Fair market access is needed to support sustainable agriculture in countries we rely on for goods like coffee, exotic fruits and cocoa, and which rely on the EU market to help in sustainable development. Different regions have different needs. Some pesticides not registered in the EU may be necessary in non-EU countries.

3. We support the EU Green Deal ambition to tackle environmental challenges, but think multilateral fora, not non-tariff barriers are the correct way to achieve this. We are concerned that the evolving EU policy on MRLs is likely to be contrary to both EU law and international rules. This may create trade disruptions, legal disputes, and reciprocal market access measures from other countries. This could impact EU exports, agricultural development around the world, and EU consumer choice (and prices).