Environmental risks need to be fully assessed before allowing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to make their way into Maltese agriculture, according to a government spokesman.

Malta made clear its stance on the thorny issue at EU Council level back in 2008, highlighting the not insignificant vulnerability of small island ecosystems, before stating that “Malta will naturally oppose any application for genetically modified varieties where closely related wild species at risk of cross-hybridisation exist in Malta”.

This week’s approval of the GM Amflora potato, a decision taken by the EU’s new Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli, did not go down too well with a number of critics sceptical about the introduction of GMOs.

Malta had originally voted against the approval of the Amflora potato at the Agriculture Council meeting in 2008, but critics have now voiced their concern that this week’s approval will open the floodgates for other organisms to be genetically modified in the coming months, in the process irreparably harming the environment and disrupting biodiversity.

Maltese EU Commissioner John Dalli justified his decision this week by saying: “The Amflora, and the three genetically-modified maize varieties, had already been approved by the European Food Safety Authority, and the Amflora potato will produce starch for paper production to help save raw materials, energy, water and oil-based chemicals”.

EU member states now have until summer to decide whether or not they wish to cultivate GM crops in their own backyard. At another Environmental Council meeting last year, Malta approved the concept of allowing the extent of GMOs to be decided by every country’s government in legislation.

Should this materialise, the fear is that opportunities will present themselves for more GMOs to find their way onto the Maltese market – a prospect the government says it is regarding with caution.

“Malta will tread with caution when and if it comes to increasing GMOs in our environment, as the way things stand, the country and its landscape is too small to permit any meaningful co-existence between GM and non-GM crops,” a government spokesman told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

“Malta will only consider supporting any application for GMO approval if long-term risks to human health and the environment have been addressed by the European Food Safety Authority and where there is absolutely no clear risk of proliferation, even if accidental, especially in the case of GM products not intended for use as food or feed,” he added.

These concerns were echoed by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. A Mepa spokesman said: “With regard to genetically modified ingredients in food and feed, Malta has no objections, provided that they have been subjected to a thorough scientific risk assessment by the European Food Safety Authority and that consumer rights are respected through adequate labelling.”

Opposition agriculture spokesman Joe Sammut feels it is too early to comment on the effect of introducing GMOs into the country’s environment.

“It is still too early to say whether added GMOs would have a negative effect on the Maltese ecosystem and disrupt biodiversity. Further analysis is required to see which crops are more susceptible to the impact of GMOs than others, as taking a stance on the issue at this stage would be too premature,” he said.

Alternattiva Demokratika’s spokesman for agriculture Simon Galea, on the other hand, is totally against the idea of GMOs being introduced to Malta.

“Giving the go-ahead for the production of the Amflora potato has opened the doors for other GMOs to find their way into the Maltese and EU agricultural sector. Organisms should not be subject to intrusion and should be allowed to grow in their own natural way”, said Mr Galea. “This latest decision is a further blow to the environment, and unless politicians in the European Union oppose the addition of other GMOs, the effect on our environment could indeed be devastating.”