A first discussion about new genomic techniques saw many EU agriculture ministers welcome the European Commission’s proposed loosening of the bloc’s gene editing rules as a building block for sustainable farming, while others voiced concerns over potential risks.
During their meeting on Tuesday (25 July), EU agriculture ministers had a chance to discuss for the first time the European Commission’s recent proposal on new genomic techniques (NGTs) – technologies used to genetically modify specific traits of crops.
In early July, the EU executive proposed deregulating certain NGTs. While certain traceability requirements would remain in place for all gene-edited crops, the draft foresees that NGT-based plants that are indistinguishable from ones obtained by conventional breeding should be treated like their conventional counterparts.
In the Commission’s view, NGTs are a key element in the EU’s efforts to make farming more sustainable, as enshrined in the objectives of the Green Deal, while still ensuring sufficient levels of food production.
“This proposal illustrates our commitment to give farmers the tools that they need,” Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said during the meeting.
For proponents, a “vital” step
This view was shared by many of the ministers, including Spain’s Luis Planas, who currently chairs the EU Agriculture Council until the end of Spain’s Council Presidency in December.
Despite the fact that it is unusual for a chair to give opinions on a file that is being discussed, Planas started the discussion by stressing that the proposal “is very important not only for the public but also for the agricultural sector”.
He added it is vital to show farmers that “we have problems to solve, but we are looking at alternatives to make progress”.
Italian junior minister Luigi D’Eramo said NGTs represent “the most effective instrument that we have at our disposal in the agricultural sector to improve the sustainability of production.”
Back in June, Italy’s government jumped the gun, approving way before the Commission’s proposal a time-limited derogation to the relevant national legislation for carrying out tests for applying new genomic NGTs on plants until the end of 2024.
France’s Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau also hailed the proposal as an “important and long-awaited step.” Fesneau also called for swift progress on the file, which risks not being adopted before the EU elections in June 2024.
Other proponents of liberalising NGTs pointed to the need to safeguard the competitiveness of EU food production compared to other parts of the world.
By making NGTs available, “the EU’s position on international markets is reinforced, and we can catch up with our competitors who already use these genetic techniques,” Finnish minister Sari Essayah said.
Freedom of choice, sovereignty compromised?
However, a number of ministers also voiced concerns over key aspects of the proposal, with especially clear criticism coming from Hungary and Austria, who stressed that a way of farming without genetically modified organisms (GMO) must remain possible.
“GMO-free agricultural production is anchored in our constitution,” the Hungarian representative stressed. “For us, this is a matter of national sovereignty.”
Austrian ambassador Gregor Schusterschitz said the country already goes “beyond the aims of the Green Deal and these achievements cannot be jeopardised.” Austria is the EU country with the highest share of organic farming.
Organic farmers are obliged to ensure their production is GMO-free, and many in the sector are worried this might no longer be possible under the proposed new framework.
The issue of coexistence between NGTs and organic farming was also brought up by Germany’s Cem Özdemir, who also voiced concerns over the fact that questions about the patentability of gene-edited seed remain unsolved.
Criticism, but no blockade
However, Germany’s Green minister was eager to show a willingness to compromise and not reject the proposal as a whole. Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, he said his own position could act as a bridge between staunch proponents and opponents of NGTs, including within his own government coalition.
A similar sentiment was echoed by other countries, including Cyprus, Luxembourg, and Lithuania, who shared the concerns but also said they were willing to move forward on the proposal and find practical solutions.
Meanwhile, Kyriakides aimed to reassure those ministers who remained sceptical of the proposal.
“Most importantly, what I want to assure you is that it does not lower the bar on safety and the precautionary principle, and it builds on a robust and thorough impact assessment,” she stressed.
[Edited by Gerardo Fortuna/Zoran Radosavljevic]
