Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Commission Speech (SPEECH/23/4004), 25 July 2023
Chair, Ministers,
As we have said many times, in order to secure a sustainable future for our Union and our planet, healthy ecosystems are of course essential.
This is the principle underlining the measures that the Commission adopted for a sustainable use of key natural resources.
The proposal for a Regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques illustrates our commitment to give farmers the tools they need, and I am very pleased to be able present it to you today.
Our proposal is designed to boost sustainability through innovation, leveraging technological progress in new genomic techniques to help develop more resilient plants and curb the use of chemical pesticides.
Accessible and affordable plants obtained using NGTs can support farmers, help diversify our food system, boost competitiveness, and satisfy consumer calls for more nutritious, more sustainable products.
Let me take you through our proposal.
First of all, I want to reiterate clearly that it maintains high safety standards. There has been no departure from our commitment to safety and the precautionary principle.
On this, the proposal draws on extensive, up-to-date scientific work by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and is aligned with the growing global consensus in this area.
EFSA has confirmed that NGTs can lead to products with diverse risk profiles. Some are fully comparable to those obtained with conventional breeding.
That is why we are proposing two distinct regimes for NGT plants to reach the market, based on their different risk profiles. All NGT plants will undergo a regulatory procedure, so that all products that reach the market are safe.
Certain NGT plants will also undergo a verification procedure, based on detailed criteria laid down in the legislation, to check that they contain only modifications that are known to occur naturally or through conventional breeding. If this is confirmed, they will be treated in the same way and not be subject to further requirements as GMOs.
However, NGT plants featuring more complex modifications will remain subject to an adapted GMO risk assessment and authorisation.
We will maintain transparency for all NGT plants through a public database that operators and consumers will be able to consult. We will provide for full traceability and labelling requirements for NGT plants and their products that undergo risk assessment. In addition, we propose labelling for all seeds, so that farmers can decide whether or not they want to use NGT plants.
We have listened carefully to the organic sector and have maintained the ban on all NGT products in organic production, providing the tools for supply chains to exclude NGTs.
Lastly, the proposal provides for robust monitoring of the economic, environmental and social impacts of NGT products placed on the EU market, along with the impacts on organic agriculture and on consumer acceptance.
Ministers,
Our impact assessment offers robust evidence that NGTs can better resist the environmental stressors that have often been discussed here at the AGRIFISH Council, such as droughts. This is of immediate relevance to us here in Europe, as we are again facing droughts this summer.
NGTs can also increase yields, while minimising the use of fertilisers and natural resources. These are key factors for our food security and strategic autonomy.
And they can improve resistance to pests – therefore reducing reliance on pesticides. This is another way for our farmers to deliver on our common objective regarding pesticide use.
In short, they can produce a wide range of crops with the potential to boost our food security and sustainability, for the benefit of farmers, citizens and our planet.
For the proposal, see:
COM/2023/411 - Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed, and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625. See also: Annexes to the Proposal ..
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