News
2024-02-07 | permalink
NGT vote a step backward for biosafety that nonetheless safeguards the possibility for traceability and national “coexistence” measures
BRUSSELS, 07 FEBRUARY 2024 – Today the European Parliament voted on the legislative proposal on so-called “New Genomic Techniques” (NGTs). According to IFOAM Organics Europe the outcome is a step backwards in terms of biosafety and freedom of choice for consumers, but MEPs safeguarded some minimum transparency requirements and even re-integrated traceability provisions that Member States should build on to secure the freedom of farmers not to use genetic engineering.
“A majority of MEPs voted in favor of weakening biosafety requirements for NGTs but also to maintain traceability of NGTs all along the production and the possibility for national coexistence measures to protect organic agriculture”, said Jan Plagge, president of IFOAM Organics Europe, after the vote.
IFOAM Organics Europe: NGT vote a step backward for biosafety that nonetheless safeguards the possibility for traceability and national “coexistence” measures2024-02-07 | permalink
European Parliament chooses its position: for labelling and traceability of all New GMOs
In its plenary vote today on New GMOs, the European Parliament voted in favour of labelling and traceability requirements for all New GMOs, following amendments tabled by the Greens and S&D. Should the Parliament’s position become law business operators (breeders, farmers, food and feed processors, retailers) and consumers will continue to have the right to know what is in their value chains and their food.
2024-02-07 | permalink
For a science-based regulation of plants from new genetic techniques
Technological progress makes genetic engineering a rapidly developing field. In its proposal of July 2023, the European Commission (EC) aims to deregulate a subset of new genetic techniques (NGT). This proposal would exempt certain NGT plants from the current EU regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) based on a considered equivalence with conventionally bred plants. Similar to the French ANSES, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) argues in its new policy brief that this approach of considered equivalence lacks a valid scientific basis and violates the precautionary principle, since plausible risks cannot be excluded.
2024-02-07 | permalink
Opposition against patent on conventionally-bred lettuce rejected
EU urged to take political initiative
7 February 2024 / Today, after public hearing, the European Patent Office (EPO) rejected an opposition against a patent on conventionally-bred lettuce. The patent (EP2966992) was granted to the Dutch company, Rijk Zwaan, in 2018, and was opposed by No Patents on Seeds!. The ‘invention’ in the patent: the seeds are supposedly capable of germinating at higher temperatures.
2024-02-07 | permalink
EU Parliament in favour for deregulation of NGT plants, BUT …
Contradictory results in Strasbourg
7 February 2024 / The EU Parliament (EP) today voted in favour of the deregulation of plants derived from new genetic engineering (NGT). It is doubtful that all MEPs have understood what they decided. A comment by Pascal Canfin on X (formerly Twitter), in which he claims that these plants would only be used to save pesticides and combat climate change, seems almost satirical. Canfin is chairman of the EP’s Environment Committee. He also suggested that a vote should be held first and only then should EFSA be asked for a further opinion on the risks.
