Lettre ouverte : Réunion SCOPAFF Section Alimentation humaine et animale génétiquement modifiée du 13 juin, et l'autorisation de la betterave sucrière génétiquement modifiée.

As the European Commission prepares for the upcoming SCOPAFF meeting on June 13th, BeeLife has submitted an open letter voicing strong concerns about the proposed authorisation of genetically modified sugar beet KWS20-1 for food and feed uses under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003.

This GM sugar beet has been developed to tolerate three herbicides, dicamba, glufosinate-ammonium, and glyphosate, raising questions about its alignment with the EU's goals for sustainable agriculture and food safety. While EFSA has concluded that the processed products derived from this variety pose no risks to human or animal health, the environmental impacts of the plant itself were not assessed, since the application does not cover cultivation. Still, key concerns remain unaddressed.

In our letter, we point out several critical oversights in the application, particularly the lack of consideration for all the possible uses of sugar beet co-products, including in animal feed and bee nutrition. GM-derived syrups could end up in the beekeeping sector without adequate risk assessment, something that directly concerns the health of pollinators and the sustainability of beekeeping practices in Europe.

Furthermore, we raise broader concerns about continuing to authorise genetically modified crops that are designed to work with herbicides known to pose environmental and health risks. Imports of such products could undermine European producers who do not rely on herbicide-tolerant varieties and contribute to an unsustainable agricultural model.

We invite policymakers, stakeholders, and the public to read the full letter and consider the implications of approving this authorisation.

👉 Click here to read the full letter