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The European Commission has launched a proposal for the (de-)regulation of new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). As academics, from a vast range of disciplines, including agroecology, political ecology, rural sociology, molecular biology, environmental history, population genetics, evolutionary biology, ecology, agronomy and innovation studies, we are very concerned about the quality of this legislative proposal, the process by which it came into being, and the social, economic and environmental impacts it will have, should it be adopted. Moreover, we have serious questions about the way in which climate and sustainability goals are being used to justify this (de-)regulation.

Appeal: Regulate new genetic engineering and repair patent loopholes!

Brussels/Vienna, November 17, 2023 – Ahead of the EU Agriculture Councilexternal link, opens in a new tabOn November 20th, the signatory organizations sounded the alarm to the agriculture ministers: “We are deeply concerned about the growing flood of patent applications for new genetic engineering seeds and NGT plants in Europe. This uncontrolled development has negative impacts on breeders, farmers and food production. We are at a crucial point where we must set the course for the future of our agriculture and biodiversity. Agriculture Minister Totschnig is now required to forge alliances with other EU agriculture ministers in order to avert these dangerous developments for Austria's agriculture! ", say the international organizations ARCHE NOAH, the small farmers' association European Coordination Vía Campesina, Friends of the Earth Europe, Greenpeace, Corporate Europe Observatory, FIAN International, ENGA - European Non-GMO Industry Association, NO PATENTS ON SEEDS! and GLOBAL 2000.

Sign the petition to EU decision makers!

The new EU seed law proposed by the European Commission in July 2023 threatens the conservation and circulation of crop diversity. It disregards farmers’ right to harvest, use, exchange and sell their own seeds, as enshrined in international law. It is unacceptable.

Ahead of the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 20-21 november, ECVC has sent, along with 8 organisations including seed-savers, GMO-free industry and environmental NGOs, a statement to EU agriculture ministers, alerting them on the patents that cover all new genomic techniques (new GMOs).

New GMOs are currently at the center of the debate of the Agriculture Council following the publication of a Regulation proposal by the Commission in July 2023. Even though the proposals claims that new GMOs, and especially "category 1 new genomic techniques", must be considered as conventionnal breeding, all these GMOs are covered by patents. In the absence of traceability requirement, breeders and farmers will lose their means of protection in case of accidental contamination leading to infrigement proceedings, and will face as well abusive extension of the scope of patents to conventional seeds. This proposal goes clearly against the EU obligations on farmers' rights to seeds, and will have a tremendous economic impact on the whole GMO-free farming, breeding and industry sector.

Negotiations are in full swing on the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation on New GMOs (New Genomic Techniques). With the Commission proposing a full deregulation of this type of gene editing, should the proposal become law, it would unleash untested and unlabeled GMOs onto European fields, into the supermarkets and on to people’s plates – GMOs that European citizens do not want in their food.

Michael Fakhri, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food.

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He cites the example of genetically modified organisms, which supporters say allows farmers to have predictable crops. Fakhri said they create homogeneity, creating field after field of the same type of plants, which makes them more vulnerable to pests and factors exacerbated by the climate crisis.

“To have this degree of homogeneity is really quite dangerous,” Fakhri said. “It’s bad for the environment and bad for the future of resilient plants.” In addition to damaging the environment, corporations have been falsely attributing price increases to various crises to hide their profiteering, according to the report.

Environmental groups call for a ban on releasing GMOs into the wild

Halifax, Ottawa, Sutton, November 8, 2023 – Today, the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) released an Expert Panel report commissioned by the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada on the regulation of genetically engineering (genetically modified or GM) insects for pest control. The report focuses on the question of releasing gene-edited insects and “gene drive” organisms in particular, designed for release into the environment with the purpose of replacing or changing whole insect populations in the wild. The Expert Panel concludes that the complexity and uncertainties of using such genetically engineered insects (genetically modified organisms or GMOs) raise profound questions and require serious attention from the federal government.

We asked the Austrian EU representatives: What do politicians think about the labeling requirement, risk assessment and tracing of new genetic engineering?

On November 7th, the Environment Committee of the EU Parliament will discuss the proposed law to deregulate New Genetic Engineering (NGT). The EU Commission is planning far-reaching deregulation of the majority of plants to which NGT methods have been used.

“If the Commission has its way, risk assessment, labeling, freedom of choice, traceability and the possibility of national cultivation restrictions should no longer apply in the future”

BRIGITTE REISENBERGER, GLOBAL 2000 GENETIC ENGINEERING SPOKESPERSON

Five indigenous reservations from Cauca, Tolima, Huila and Caldas, with the support of the Alliance for Agrobiodiversity, filed a protection for the advance of transgenic contamination of native and native corn in indigenous territories. In a court ruling known on November 2, the Constitutional Court agreed with the plaintiffs and ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to take action to protect native and creole seeds.

Position Paper October 2023 Consumers

On July 5, 2023, the European Commission published a proposed regulation that provides for new regulations for plants produced using new genetic engineering (NGT). The EU Commission divides NGT plants into two categories with different requirements. NGT Category 1 plants are classified like conventionally grown plants. According to the draft regulation, there is no risk assessment for human health and the environment for this category, no labeling for consumers as a genetically modified organism, no traceability of genetic engineering along the value chain and no detection procedures.