The European Food Safety Authority's Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms has concluded that BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC's genetically modified RF3 Canola Quality (CQ) Brassica juncea is as safe as its non-GM comparator and reference varieties for human and animal health and the environment, clearing the way for potential EU authorisation for import, processing, and food and feed uses. In a scientific opinion published on 4 August 2026, the GMO Panel found no safety concerns regarding toxicity or allergenicity of the PAT/bar and Barstar proteins expressed in the oilseed, and determined that no post-market monitoring of food and feed is necessary. The opinion, adopted on 17 June 2026, covers application EFSA-GMO-NL-2019-158, which does not include cultivation within the EU.
The assessment, conducted under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and Regulation (EU) No 503/2013, examined the molecular characterisation, agronomic and phenotypic traits, and compositional data of RF3 CQ B. juncea. The event, originally developed in Brassica napus and previously assessed by EFSA in application EFSA-GMO-RX-MS8-RF3 (2009), was transferred to B. juncea through conventional breeding to confer tolerance to glufosinate-based herbicides and restore fertility in Barnase-expressing plants. The panel identified differences in yield, crude fat, aspartic acid, and behenic acid (C22:0) between the GM line and its comparator, but additional evaluation found these did not raise environmental, safety, or nutritional concerns. The post-market environmental monitoring plan was deemed in line with the intended uses, and the panel noted that release of viable seeds into the environment would not raise safety issues.
The application was submitted on 25 June 2019 and declared valid on 14 September 2020, with EFSA and the GMO Panel working to a six-month timeline that was extended as supplementary information was requested. EU Member States had three months to provide their opinions on the application. The scientific opinion will now feed into the European Commission's decision-making process on whether to grant authorisation for the GM oilseed's import and use in the EU, a step that could affect trade flows for oilseed processors and livestock feed producers. The panel's finding of no nutritional concerns supports the use of RF3 CQ B. juncea in food and feed products, potentially expanding sourcing options for EU importers. However, the absence of cultivation in the EU means the decision primarily impacts importers and downstream users rather than EU farmers. The Commission will weigh the opinion alongside risk management considerations, including labelling and traceability requirements under EU GM food and feed rules.