Comments on the European Food Safety Authority draft guidance on the agronomic and phenotypic characterisation of genetically modified plants

Recently, the EFSA GMO Panel published a draft guidance document on the agronomic and phenotypic characterisation of genetically modified plants. This draft guidance document is open for public consultation by EU member states and stakeholders.
COGEM welcomes the initiative of the EFSA to come to a comprehensive and harmonised approach for the agronomic and phenotypic characterisation of GM plants. However, after assessing the guidance document, COGEM is of the opinion that much of the required data has no clear relevance to the ERA. A considerable part of the data requirements deal with agronomic performance, which is not part of the ERA of GM plants. In addition, COGEM has reservations with regard to the detailed data requirements for the selected field trial sites. COGEM is of the opinion that only the data that is crucial to assess the environmental risks of GM plants should be required.