Ask an Expert: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

My apologies if I arrive a little late to the discussion. I had trouble registering.

Please I would like to ask you if OECD have guidelines or standards that are specific to genetically modified seeds?” and also if  The “OECD Schemes for the Varietal Certification or Control of Seeds Moving in International Trade”, including the 2009 amended version never mentions GM Seeds or seeds produced using the techniques of modern biotechnology. Does that mean that OECD’s policy is one that does not see the need for different treatment/standards for seeds that are genetically modified?

Thanks.

Antonietta Gutiérrez Rosati
Peru

Dear Antonietta, I believe that the short answer to your question on the treatment of transgenic seeds within OECD "Seeds Schemes" is "yes". Over the years, there has been much discussion on this issue and some delegations believe that the "Seeds Schemes" is not the appropriate mechanism to address the issue. Details of the rest of OECD's work on risk/ safety assessment of transgenic organisms(including out consensus documents) can be found at:
http://www.oecd.org/biotrack/ but I suspect that you are familiar with that work. If not, I can easily provide more details. Peter