The EU is considering the exclusion of gene-edited plants and animals from GM regulations, write Janet Cotter & Ricarda Steinbrecher. However gene-edited organisms clearly fall within the definition of GMOs in both European and international law. They also present real risks to the environment and human health - and must be regulated like any other GMOs.

There has been a lot in the news recently about the ethics of gene editing in humans.

But, as yet largely unnoticed is that the European Commission is considering whether the gene-editing of plants and animals, for example in agriculture, be exempted from regulation or even falls outside the scope of EU law governing genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In other words, whether the products of gene-editing should be labelled and regulated as GMOs, or allowed to enter the food chain untested and unlabelled.

If you believe the proponents' claims, gene-editing is nothing more than the 'tweaking' of DNA in plants and animals - nothing to be concerned about.

But the reality is that gene editing is simply GM 2.0, with many of the same concerns and problems as the GM crops that Europeans have already rejected.

Non-GMO and organic foods, apart from natural food stores, Non-GMO products now came in mainstream and sold in major supermarkets nationwide. It has been noticed, consumer is demanding more organic & Non GMO products. Non-GMO yogurt is where the presence of toxic persistent pesticides, artificial hormones and antibiotics, for production of the milk is zero. The use of Non-GMO reached nearly 11% on food and beverages since 2013, the demand has been increased of Non-GMO products. In the US, a survey was conducted for GMO and Non-GMO food products, Maximum Americans agreed on the fact that GMO food product are not safe to eat and also not good for health.

EFSA’s conclusion on NK603 is false

The basis of GMO approvals worldwide is the concept of substantial equivalence, meaning that the GMO maize is compositionally the same as the non-GMO counterpart (nearest relative).

In 2009 the EFSA GMO Panel concluded that “maize NK603 is compositionally equivalent to conventional maize”, except for the intended change – the presence of extra proteins that make the maize tolerant to glyphosate herbicides such as Roundup.

However, the new study, by a team of researchers led by Dr Michael Antoniou at King's College London, shows that EFSA’s conclusion is false and that the genetic engineering process has had far-reaching unintended effects on the composition of NK603 maize.

Critics hail decision as 'beginning of the end' for use of the crops in the UK

- Waitrose meat, milk and eggs will not come from animals on GM feed

- Move is a huge blow to the controversial 'Frankenfood' technology

- Campaigners are now demanding that other stores follow suit

Waitrose's meat, milk and eggs will no longer come from animals fed a genetically modified diet.

The retailer is dropping GM soya feed on its farms in a huge blow to the controversial 'Frankenfood' technology.

Critics of GM have hailed the decision as the 'beginning of the end of the last large-scale use of GM crops in the UK'.

(.....)

The retailer said the non-GM soya used on its farms will now come from the Danube region. It is also using other alternatives, such as clover for sheep and cattle, and faba beans for pigs, chickens and ducks.

The first shipment of non-GM soya arrived in October and went to Waitrose's dedicated pork supplier, Dalehead Foods.

Supermarkets across the UK are selling products from GM-fed animals and customers are being kept in the dark. Join GM Freeze's new campaign to let them know that's just not good enough.

What's the problem?

Most people in the UK don't eat food made from GM ingredients but they are eating eggs, milk, dairy products, poultry, red meat and farmed fish from animals that have been fed GM soya and/or maize. GM-fed products don't have to be labelled so consumers are being kept in the dark. As David Hughes, professor of food marketing at Imperial College London told the National Farmers Union Conference in February 2016, "we find it convenient not to make a big noise about it."

What are we doing about it?

GM Freeze has ranked the UK's top ten supermarkets on their policy relating to GM animal feed, on the information they provide to consumers and on the range of non GM-fed own brand products they have available. In our October 2016 rankings, Waitrose received 2 of a possible 5 stars, while everyone else failed to score!

EU and US consumers call for regulation and labeling of products derived from new genetic engineering techniques

Today, TACD published a new resolution on consumer concerns about new genetic engineering techniques. Consumers have right to know when new genetic engineering techniques are used, including in their food, but companies are lobbying to exempt such products from regulation. A number of new genetic engineering techniques have been developed which were not in use when current laws on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were drafted.

The new resolution states that risks to human health, animal welfare and the environment must be assessed before products derived from new genetic engineering techniques are placed on the market or released into the environment. Products must also be labelled in accordance with consumers’ rights to know and choose what they are buying, including what they eat.

The resolution makes a set of recommendations to the EU and U.S. authorities for a framework that guarantees the adequate protection of EU and U.S. consumers alike.

The Soil Association says it is “very disappointed” that the UK is to leave the European Union. But despite the Brexit vote the organic charity says the UK is “likely” to continue to be bound by the EU Organic Regulation.

In a statement, the Soil Association says: “UK wildlife, the environment and the organic farming sector have been major beneficiaries of EU membership, where the precautionary principle prevails in policy making. Thanks to EU policy, the UK has cleaned up its act as ‘the dirty man of Europe’ and now has cleaner beaches, rivers and better protection for wildlife, including our vital pollinators as a direct result of EU membership. It is vital that these gains are secured.”

Recent assessment of EFSA supports concerns regarding health risks

On 18 November, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed has three applications for the import authorisation of genetically engineered soybeans with resistance to glyphosate on its agenda. These soybeans can be used as food and feed across the EU. Two of these plants have been engineered to be resistant to the combined use of other herbicides and glyphosate. Testbiotech and GeneWatch UK are together requesting that these authorisation processes are suspended.

Their concerns are supported by a recent conclusion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the health risk assessment of glyphosate: In its assessment, EFSA concludes that there is no evidence for the carcinogenicity of the active ingredient glyphosate. But this conclusion explicitly does not include the applications of glyphosate on genetically engineered soybeans or the application of commercial mixtures of glyphosate such as Roundup that contain various additives.

It is with great sadness that we inform you that EGP Committee member Steve Emmott, at the age of 71, passed away on Thursday, 24 September 2015.

Steve Emmott was Member of the European Green Party Committee since October 2009 and was running for reelection at the upcoming Lyon Council in November. He was also member of The Green Party of England and Wales and member of Ecolo and he was a former Advisor of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament.

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The EGP Committee members express their heartfelt condolences for this tremendous loss to Steve's partner Nicole, family and friends.

The funeral has taken place Friday, 2 October.

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You may want to leave your obituary comment on:

http://europeangreens.eu/news/memoriam-steve-emmott

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We lose a great fighter against GMOs in the fields and regions of Europe. Steve was among the first to join this campaign in the 1990ies and continued to participate. We did not know what this was about, when he cancelled his participation in the 8th GMO Free Regions Conference (and he had not missed a single one before!). Now we realize with sadness and gratitude.

And we lose a very fine partner in so many respects and discussions!

I will always remember Steve's smile at an early butterfly during a hike in the Swiss mountains around Lucerne. Oh boy! Thanks and take care, man!

Benny Haerlin

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