Questionnaire about the Socioeconomic Implications of the Placing on the Market of Gmos for Cultivation -swedish Answer to the Commission Ministry of Agriculture Sweden

Please find enclosed the Swedish answer to the questionnaire about socioeconomic implications of the placing on the market of GMOs for cultivation. The current regulatory framework in the EU allows for socioeconomic considerations to be taken into account in certain circumstances provided they are performed on a case-by-case basis. A general and formalized application of socioeconomic criteria in the regulatory framework on GMOs is, however, unlikely to make the process more consistent or foreseeable and risk to make the decisions within the EU even more difficult. Opening up for systematic use of socioeconomic factors (employment opportunities, costs for business operators, effects on the economy at large) in environmental legislation may be used to hamper scientifically founded and necessary action (chemicals, global warming etc.) If product authorizations are granted or denied on socioeconomic grounds it will complicate risk communication. Is a product safe or unsafe, have other factors than safety for humans, animals and the environment played a role in the decision and if so to what extent? The transparency of the process leading up to a decision to grant or deny an authorization may also be affected in a negative way by using socioeconomic factors since it makes it more difficult to understand what the factors motivating the decision were. It is important that only products that are safe for human and animal consumption and the environment is placed on the market or indeed released into the environment. The scientific evaluation of the safety must not be compromised. It would be highly unfortunate if products with a known safety risk were authorized due to economic reasons. Environmental concerns may be at a disadvantage if balanced against huge potential economic benefits e.g. chemical pesticides. It would