The EU Commission wants to relax the rules for genetic engineering in agriculture. But because the Greens and FDP in particular assess this differently, there is still no common position in the federal government.
How much genetic engineering is needed in agriculture? And how much on the plates? These questions have been the subject of heated debate within the traffic light coalition since a draft by the EU Commission became known. Brussels wants significant relaxations, for example in the cultivation of genetically modified plants or the labeling of products made from them. Officially, the plans are to be presented in early July. How the federal government will then react to this is still unclear.
Liberals want more money for research
“We have to be more open to innovations,” says Gero Hocker, for example. The FDP member of the Bundestag sees an opportunity for Germany as a research location in the EU Commission’s plans. So far, the rules, which are strict in a global comparison, have tended to mean that science in this country is lagging behind. Also because there is not enough research funding for the area.
The Liberals therefore also want to provide more financial support for genetic engineering research. This year, the federal government earmarked twelve million euros for research in the field of plant breeding. Hocker hopes that there will be significantly more in the coming federal budget: “We can see that people have made their way around the world and are recognizing the opportunities and are already producing with these breeding methods.”
“Color code” in genetic engineering
As green Genetic engineering is commonly used to describe the use of genetically modified plants in agriculture and the food sector.
So-called Red Genetic engineering is used in medicine, for example to produce medicines or vaccines, for diagnostics or for gene therapy.
White is called genetic engineering in industrial production, for example when modified microorganisms are used in the production of detergents or bioethanol.
Germany is striving for a pioneering role
Hocker’s party friend Bettina Stark-Watzinger also advocates more openness to technology. The Federal Research Minister sees green genetic engineering as an opportunity to make plants more productive or resistant to pests, for example. Stark-Watzinger believes that this will also help fight hunger in the world.
Green genetic engineering has therefore even made it into the national security strategy of the federal government. Accordingly, Germany wants to “play a pioneering role in research in Europe”. The Ministry of Agriculture, led by the Greens, points out that research on and with genetically modified plants is already permitted. “The placing on the market of both feed and food containing genetically modified organisms is already permitted,” said a spokeswoman.
Greens against easing risk assessment
While Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir is still reluctant to publicly assess the EU plans, others in his party are taking a clear position. The member of the Bundestag Karl Bär criticizes that the Commission wants to limit the scientific risk assessment.
“We’re releasing something unchecked into the environment that we can never get back,” says the Green politician. He refers to North and South America, where the use of genetically modified plants is largely unregulated. “If you look at what genetic engineering has done so far, then the result is primarily larger monocultures with more poison in the fields.”
Organic farming in danger?
The plans of the EU Commission would also pose considerable problems for organic farming. The use of green genetic engineering is not permitted there. “In our current system, it is the job of organic farmers to protect themselves from this,” says Bär. The Brussels draft does not want to allow the member states to specify distance rules for the cultivation of genetically modified plants in the future. “This makes the whole thing more and more expensive and risky for organic farmers.”
Green politician and Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke recently said at an event in Brussels: “We know that the use of new genetic engineering can also lead to unintended effects in plants.” She is also against relaxing the rules for risk assessment. Potential threats to plants, ecosystems and biodiversity would have to be identified, precisely defined and assessed beforehand.
No higher risk?
From the point of view of the molecular geneticist Rita Groß-Hardt, genetically engineered plants do not pose a greater risk to the environment than conventionally bred plants. “On the contrary: This technology contributes to sustainable agriculture by protecting resources.” The professor from the University of Bremen has come to the same conclusion as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), on whose assessment the EU Commission is based.