Briefing paper – Proposal on new genomic techniques
Under the current EU legislative framework, all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are subject to mandatory risk assessment, traceability, and labelling. These requirements guarantee freedom of choice for farmers, breeders, and consumers, while protecting our environment and health in line with the precautionary principle.
For more than a decade, new GMOs, produced using new GM techniques (also called new genomic techniques, NGTs), were developed. The agricultural biotech industry, as well as seed companies and international trade partners, are pushing to exempt GM products obtained by these techniques from the current GMO regulations. They claim these techniques are the solution to ensure food security and achieve sustainability in food and farming.
Following their lobbying pressure, the European Commission proposed a new legislative framework in July 2023 for certain categories of NGTs, aiming to facilitate their market access by lifting the current transparency and safety requirements applying to GMOs.
Not only would such a new legislative framework put our health and environment at risk, but it would also impact the whole GMO-free food production, including biodynamic and organic farming, as well as the conventional GMO-free sector. The current regulatory framework must be maintained for all GMOs to ensure protection of health and the environment, as well as farmers’ and consumers’ freedom of choice regarding whether they want to grow or eat these new GMOs.
To find out more about what new GMOs are, what is at stake in the EU, have a look at our latest briefing paper!
Contact: Clara Behr, Head of Policy and Public Relations
clara.behr@demeter.net
Brussels, 22.08.2023
