GMO as a Sustainability Issue - Governing Risk in GM Agriculture - page 212

Using the substantial equivalence approach, this procedure also includes
a thorough description of all aspects of the products and the process and
a study of unintended side effects. According to the authors, this method
is applicable to both the first- and second-generation GMO crops, the lat-
ter including nutritionally enhanced crops, those with improved perfor-
mance under environmental stress conditions (salt tolerance, heat resis-
tance), and others.
Whereas these proposals may be steps in the right direction, they are
still, in essence, expert-based, technocratic approaches, limited by scien-
tific uncertainties and technocratic judgment. As such, they do not go far
enough in addressing many public concerns. Perhaps for that reason, the
project 39 also called for “research on new ways of public participation in
the risk analysis process for foods and new food producing technologies”
as well as the establishment of a Permanent Evaluation and Discussion
Platform for the scientific and societal assessment of the development
and introduction of future foods in Europe. The call did not clarify how
such participation would contribute to either the risk assessment or risk
management of GMOs.
The establishment of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has
been a promising step in the direction of greater transparency, account-
ability, public participation, and restoring trust in public institutions. 40
Nonetheless, many consider it inadequate. According to some critics 41
the informal process of consultation and contestation creates problems
of unequal access and influence, largely related to the inequality or the
stakeholders' resources. Also, the EU parliament and the national par-
liaments have no involvement in the authorization process. Thus it is
unclear if the new GMO rules will gain social acceptance. Now that the
39 H. A. Kuiper et al., Concluding Remarks, 42 Food and Chemical Toxicology 1195-1202
(2004).
40 L. Levidov & C. Morris, Science and Governance in Europe: Lessons from the Case of
Agricultural Biotechnology, Science and Public Policy 345-360 (2001).
41 S. Borras, Legitimate Governance of Risk at the EU level? The Case of Genetically
Modified Organisms, 73 Technological Forecasting and Social Change 61-75 (2006).