Norway

Updates + Overviews

It is not permitted to use genetically modified organisms for food or feed in Norway (updated november 2022).  Only GM-carnations are approved.

Contained use and deliberate release of GMOs that can reproduce (living) is regulated by the Gene Technology Act. The purpose of the act is to ensure that the production and use of these organisms take place in an ethically justifiable and socially acceptable manner, in accordance with the principle of sustainable development and without adverse effects on health and the environment (Section1).

GMOs that cannot reproduce are regulated by the Food Act. The main purpose of the Food Act  is to ensure safe and wholesome food, to promote health, quality and consumer concerns along the whole production chain, and to provide for sustainable production. (Section 1 first paragraph)

Svalbard Global Seed Vault is operated by NordGen in cooperation with the Norwegian Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the international organisation Crop Trust. It is the largest backup facility for the world’s crop diversity and offers long-term storage of seed duplicates from international, national and regional genebanks and institutions, free-of-charge. There are no genetically modified seeds in the vault.

GMO Network Norway

GMO Network Norway is an umbrella organisation for 18 farmer-, environmental-, consumer and solidarity organisations, representing more than 2 000 000 citizens in Norway. The aims of the network are a GMO-regulation based on the precautionary principle, secure freedom of choice and supporting independent GMO-research.

GMO Network Norway publishes annual reports as well as a newsletter in Norwegian, “Nytt om GMO”. 

Organisations affiliated with the network:

Biodynamic Association Norway

COOP Norway

Debio – control body organic production

Denofa AS

Farmers Markets Norway

Federation of Norwegian Agricultural Co-operatives

Friends Of The Earth Norway

Greenpeace Norway

Nature and Youth (Young Friends of the Earth Norway)

Norwegian Beekeepers’ Association

Norwegian Farmers’ Union

Norwegian Rural Youth

Norwegian Farmers and Smallholders Union

Organic Norway

REMA 1000 Norway

SPIRE- Youth organisation -The Development Fund

The Development Fund – Norway

The Norwegian Society of Rural Women

Related documents (retrieved 11.11.22)

In 2021 The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment, the norwegian counterpart to the European Food Security Authority (EFSA),  published the report: “Genome editing in food and feed production – implications for risk

Assessment - Opinion of the Steering Committee of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment”.  In summary, the scientific committee found “that the EFSA guidance on risk assessment of genetically modified organisms provides a functional framework for risk assessment of genome-edited organisms. However, inclusion of specific considerations in the guidance regarding different properties of genome-edited organisms would be beneficial to ensure a common understanding between product developers and risk assessors regarding the type and extent of data needed to perform a risk assessment” (page 10
https://vkm.no/english/riskassessments/allpublications/crisprandothergenomeeditingtechniquesimplicationsforriskassessment.4.581a91ee16d1a06e872a6bca.html 

In 2017 Norway prohibited placing on the market of genetically modified maize and oilseed rape. The arguments for the prohibition are in Norwegian Royal Decree of 2 June 2017: Amendment to the regulations relating to a prohibition against the placing on the market of certain genetically modified products in Norway 
https://bch.cbd.int/en/database/DEC/114735

Links (retrieved 11.11.22)

The Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board (norwegian-Bioteknologirådet)
https://www.bioteknologiradet.no/
https://www.bioteknologiradet.no/english/

GMO Network Norway (norwegian-GMO-nettverket)
https://www.gmonettverket.no/
https://www.gmonettverket.no/engelsk/

Norwegian Environment Agency (norwegian-Miljødirektoratet)
https://www.environmentagency.no/
https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/

Svalbard Global Seed Vault (norwegian-Svalbard Globale frøhvelv)
https://www.nordgen.org/en/our-work/svalbard-global-seed-vault/

Ministry of Agriculture and Food (norwegian-Landbruks- og matdepartementet)
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dep/lmd/id627/
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/id627/

Ministry of Climate and Environment (norwegian-Klima- og miljødepartementet)
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/kld/id668/
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dep/kld/id668/

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment  (norwegian-Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø))
https://vkm.no/
https://vkm.no/english/thenorwegianscientificcommitteeforfoodandenvironment.4.2375207615dac0245ae1dd4d.html

EnglishFranceDeutsch