Publications

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Glyphosate: EU pesticide approval system fails to identify full impact, to the detriment of people and the environment

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Glyphosate: EU pesticide approval system fails to identify full impact, to the detriment of people and the environment EU must respect Precautionary Principle and withdraw glyphosate’s authorisation   The European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) has serious reservations about the position of “no critical areas of concern” adopted by the European … Read more

ENSSER-Stellungnahme: Der Vorschlag der EU-Kommission zu neuen GV-Pflanzen ist unwissenschaftlich und verschleiert deren Risiken

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ENSSER-Stellungnahme: Der Vorschlag der EU-Kommission zu neuen GV-Pflanzen ist unwissenschaftlich und verschleiert deren Risiken Read the statement in English 19. Oktober 2023 Der Vorschlag der Europäischen Kommission, die meisten “neuen” gentechnisch veränderten Pflanzen von der Regulierung auszunehmen, muss vollständig zurückgewiesen werden. Er steht im Widerspruch zu grundlegenden wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen. Er gefährdet die Bevölkerung und die … Read more

Statement: EU Commission’s proposal on new GM plants: no science, no safety

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Read the statement in German The European Commission’s proposal to exempt most ‘new’ genetically modified (GM) plants from regulation must be rejected as a whole. It is in conflict with science. It puts the population and the environment at risk without informing citizens by labelling and allowing them to make autonomous decisions. It prevents scientists … Read more

Analysis statement by ENSSER on the EU Commission’s new GM proposal. Here for Annex 1 on NGT “equivalence criteria”

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Analysis statement by ENSSER (European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility) on the EU Commission’s new GM proposal Here for Annex 1 on NGT “equivalence criteria” The EU Commission’s proposal is scientifically unacceptable, removes the provisions of the precautionary principle and puts the public and environment at risk. Critical scientific expertise and its … Read more

Video of Book Presentation: Challenges and Opportunities of mRNA Vaccines Against SARS-CoV-2 A Multidisciplinary Perspective

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  ENSSER organized the book presentation of Siguna Mueller, Challenges and Opportunities of mRNA Vaccines Against SARS-CoV-2 – A Multidisciplinary Perspective published by Springer, 2023, 439 p., 61 illus.(https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-18903-6) on  Friday 9 June 2023. Speakers: Siguna Mueller, Independent transdisciplinary researcher (Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, Habilitation in Cryptography/Data Security, Ph.D. in Mathematics, M.Sc. in Mathematics/Statistics) Polyxeni … Read more

ENSSER position statement on CRISPR/Cas gene editing

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7 February 2023 Since the hype around gene editing, and in particular CRISPR/Cas, continues to produce misunderstandings and distorted ideas about its power and utility, ENSSER has written a position statement on CRISPR/Cas. This technology is no more and no less than a method of targeting a genetic modification to a predetermined location in the … Read more

ENSSER’s Response to the Inception Impact Assessment (IAA) on new Genomic Techniques

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ENSSER regards this current Commission initiative as ill-advised and scientifically ill-founded. The IAA provides no clarity as to what is planned or how to achieve it. It however states what the Commission does not want, namely to regulate GM plants (and foods) derived by genome editing or cisgenesis as GMOs. It does so on grounds … Read more

Report: Genetically Engineered Gene Drives: IUCN report on Synthetic Biology lacks balance

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A critique of the IUCN report ‘Genetic Frontiers for Conservation: An assessment of synthetic biology and biodiversity conservation’ – with regards to its assessment of gene drives May 2021 Authors: Mark Wells, PhD & Ricarda Steinbrecher, PhD Editor: Holly Dressel Published by: Critical Scientists Switzerland (CSS) European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility … Read more

Open letter in support of Prof. Dr. Larissa Bombardi

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The European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER), the undersigned, would like to publicly express its support to Professor Dr. Larissa Bombardi who is experiencing a series of threats and attacks as a result of her research, to such an extent that she had to leave her home and working country, Brazil. … Read more

Press Release: A distortion of science and a danger to public and environmental safety

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Press Release A distortion of science and a danger to public and environmental safety 26 April 2021   The EASAC-endorsed Leopoldina Statement, demanding that the EU stops regulating ‘genome-edited’ plants, represents the narrow interests of ‘genome editors’ but it does not demonstrate the scientific objectivity or balance required, nor does it represent any consensus in … Read more

ENSSER Statement: New genetic modification techniques and their products pose risks that need to be assessed

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Australia should reverse deregulation of new GM techniques As a network of scientists concerned about the health of citizens worldwide as well as our environment and biodiversity, the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) is deeply concerned about Australia’s recent decision (October 8) to deregulate a number of the new genetic … Read more

Media Release: European Court of Justice does not request a more detailed investigation of risks of genetically engineered soybeans

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Decision on a legal challenge of three non-governmental organisations against approval of a soybeans from Monsanto (Bayer) [Media Release in German] 12 September 2019 / Today, the European Court of Justice published the decision on a legal case filed by Testbiotech together with the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) and … Read more

Einseitige Angriffe und eine voreingenommene Berichterstattung zum EuGH Urteil über neue Gentechnikmethoden entlarven ein anmassendes und unaufgeklärtes Wissenschafts- Demokratie- und Rechtsverständnis

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Verfasst von: Dr. Eva Gelinsky und Dr. Angelika Hilbeck – ENSSER Einleitung “Nothing has been “banned”. Interpreting laws that simply recognise the novelty and distinctiveness of different kinds of GM breeding processes, the ECJ is merely offering a consistent framework of interpretation within which continuing healthy reasoned argumentation can be more rigorously played out.”1 Mit … Read more

One-sided attacks and biased reporting of the ECJ judgement regarding new genetic engineering methods reveal an arrogant and unenlightened understanding of science, democracy and law

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By Dr Eva Gelinsky and Dr Angelika Hilbeck – ENSSER   Introduction “Nothing has been “banned”. Interpreting laws that simply recognise the novelty and distinctiveness of different kinds of GM breeding processes, the ECJ is merely offering a consistent framework of interpretation within which continuing healthy reasoned argumentation can be more rigorously played out.”[1] With … Read more

ENSSER Statement on New Genetic Modification Techniques:

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Products of new genetic modification techniques should be strictly regulated as GMOs [1] 27 September 2017 New genetic modification techniques (NGMTs) are increasingly being developed and applied to generate new varieties of food crops and livestock animals. They are also being used for other purposes, such as to develop gene drives[2]. They include – but … Read more

First Signatories to the ENSSER Statement on New Genetic Modification Techniques

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Michael Antoniou, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, London, UK Ricarda Steinbrecher, EcoNexus, UK Angelika Hilbeck, Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland András Székács, Professor, Agro-Environmental Research Institute, National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Budapest Nicolas Defarge, Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of … Read more

Letter to the Rector of the University of Rosario to express ENSSER’s support to Prof. Damián Verzeñassi and his team from the Institute of Socio-Environmental Health, University of Rosario, Argentina

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In response to the threats to Prof. Damián Verzeñassi and his team from the Institute of Socio-Environmental Health (Medicine School of the National University of Rosario, Argentina), ENSSER wrote and endorsed a letter of support {link}. Since 2010, Prof. Damián Verzeñassi together with his medical students conducted perhaps the largest epidemiological study to date by … Read more

Statement “No scientific consensus on GMO safety” published in Environmental Sciences Europe

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The statement “No scientific consensus on GMO safety” has been published in Environmental Sciences Europe. Please view the press release here. The statement was signed by almost 300 scientists, physicians, social scientists, academics, and specialists in legal aspects and risk assessment of GM crops and foods. The full list of signatories is available here.   … Read more

Statement: No scientific consensus on GMO safety

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-the statement is also available in Francaise, Castellano, Nederlands, 普通話,  Português, Deutsch – As scientists, physicians, academics, and experts from disciplines relevant to the scientific, legal, social and safety assessment aspects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs),[1] we strongly reject claims by GM seed developers and some scientists, commentators, and journalists that there is a “scientific … Read more

ENSSER Comments on the Retraction of the Séralini et al. 2012 Study

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Journal’s retraction of rat feeding paper is a travesty of science and looks like a bow to industry 29.11.2013 – Elsevier’s journal Food and Chemical Toxicology has retracted the paper by Prof. Gilles-Eric Séralini’s group which found severe toxic effects (including liver congestions and necrosis and kidney nephropathies), increased tumor rates and higher mortality in … Read more

GM maize in México: An irreversible path away from agricultural biodiversity, farmer livelihoods and the right to food within the center of origin of maize

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Recommendations and requests – a call to action A pro-forma public consultation period in México of requests for commercial-scale planting of GM maize has just finished as the last procedural hurdle on the path to approval, despite all previous efforts to convey. We conclude that the potential impacts threaten the right to maize as a … Read more

Conference Documentation Published: Advancing the Understanding of Biosafety GMO Risk Assessment, Independent Biosafety Research and Holistic Analysis

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Advancing the Understanding of Biosafety GMO Risk Assessment, Independent Biosafety Research and Holistic Analysis   This conference took place in the wake of the 6th meeting of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (MOP-6)  2012.  View the full documenation of the conference View the program including the ppt-presentations  

ENSSER Comments on Séralini et al. 2012

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ENSSER comments “Questionable Biosafety of GMOs, Double Standards and, Once Again, a ‘Shooting-the-Messenger’ Style Debate” available in English, Castellano, and 中文! 05 Oct 2012 – The European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) welcomes the study “Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize” of a group … Read more

ENSSER calls for scientific debate of potential health risks of GM wheat instead of ad hominem attacks on researchers

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On 11 September 2012, the Science Media Centre (SMC) published response comments (by Prof. Rick Roush, Assoc. Prof. Peter Dearden, Prof. Peter Langridge and Dr. Ian Edwards) in reply to expert scientific opinions about the safety of GM wheat varieties that have been developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) of Australia. … Read more

ENSSER Comments on the EFSA Draft Guidance on the Risk Assessment of Food and Feed from Genetically Modified Animals

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 30 Sep 2011 – The current “Draft Guidance on the risk assessment of food and feed from genetically modified animals including animal health and welfare aspects published by EFSA on August 10, 2011 is based on risk assessment concepts that do not take into account generally accepted features of risk assessment as undertaking problem formulation, … Read more

23rd Meeting of the GMO Round Table

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Upon request, ENSSER has advised the Hungarian GMO Round Table, advisory body of the Agricultural and Environmental Committees of the Hungarian Parliament regarding the GM seed contamination that occurred  in Hungary, a situation very similar to GM seed contamination in Germany in 2010. The 23rd Meeting of the GMO Round Table held a thematic meeting on … Read more

PRRI accuses ENSSER members to provide unscientific and unnecessary advice

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On March 16, 2011, Dr. Angelika Hilbeck, the Chairperson of ENSSER, and Prof. Gilles-Eric Séralini, member of ENSSER, were informed by the Executive Secretary of the Public Research and Regulation Initiative (PRRI) that PRRI has sent a letter to Commissioner John Dalli Claiming complaining about their presentations at the ALDE GMO risk assessment workshop in … Read more

Support Letter / Lettre Soutien for Gilles-Eric Séralini & Co-Authors

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May 10, 2010 – ENSSER and FSC invite you to sign the support letter for Professor Séralini and his colleagues Joël Spiroux de Vendômois and Dominique Cellier who have become the targets of a discreditation campaign from certain sectors of the scientific community. This campaign does not only threatens their livelihood as scientists, but also … Read more

ENSSER comments on EFSA Draft guidance document for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants

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 29 Apr 2010 – The European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) was founded with the aim to advance science and research for the protection of the environment, biological diversity and human health against negative impacts of new technologies and their products. Consequently, ENSSER promotes the critical European and international discourse on … Read more

ENSSER Comments on the EFSA Guidance on the Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Plants

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22 Mar 2010 – The Guidance introduces new principles and concepts for environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants (GMP ERA), in the first place the principle of the “comparative safety assessment” as a reformulation of the “concept of substantial equivalence”. Further, the Guidance foresees to use the “concept of familiarity” as upstream decision-making instrument … Read more