Renewal of the authorisation for import and processing of genetically modified cotton GHB614
- The present application (EFSA/GMO/RX/018) concerns the renewal of the authorisation for import and processing of genetically modified (GM) cotton GHB614;
- GM cotton GHB614 was previously authorised for import and processing in 2011;
- COGEM advised positively on import and processing of GM cotton GHB614 in 2008;
- The GM cotton expresses the gene 2mepsps, which confers tolerance to glyphosate containing herbicides;
- In the Netherlands, cultivation of cotton is not possible and feral cotton populations do not occur;
- Wild relatives of cotton are not present in the Netherlands, therefore hybridisation with other species is not possible;
- The bioinformatic analyses of GM cotton GBH614 has been updated and meets the criteria of COGEM;
- The updated bioinformatics analyses, literature review and monitoring reports do not give any indication of a potential environmental risk;
- COGEM is of the opinion that import and processing of GM cotton GHB614 poses a negligible risk to the environment in the Netherlands;