NEW GENOMIC TECHNIQUES: some MEPs still have doubts

Posted on - Posted by Farm Europe

Some MEPs have sent a letter to the Commission ahead of the publishing of draft regulation on plants varieties obtained thanks to new genomic techniques, calling for further research and attention to safety. The 31 elected representatives asked the Commission to analyse in more details the risks related to new genomic techniques, pointing out that the Working Programme of the EU innovation programme Horizon does not foresee research in this sense. However, German MEP Lins, chair of the Agri Committee has declared that the EP is committed to foster research and to give concrete alternatives to farmers by 2030. 

In England, the process of the revision of the legislation that aims to relax the legal context for research on new genomic techniques saw the scrutiny of the parliamentary committee of secondary legislation. The Lords pointed out that the draft law lacks of clarity on the general wider reform process, and on definitions. 

full note available on FE Members’ area