On Wednesday 26 May, the EU Agriculture Ministers generally welcomed the conclusions of the European Commission’s study on new genomic breeding techniques (NGT). Several of them supported a change in the EU regulatory framework to take into account these new biotechnologies (see EUROPE 12718/12).
“This is one of the most socially sensitive issues in this Council”, warned EU Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides.
The Agriculture Ministers of several countries (Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, etc.) welcomed a balanced proposal, which will enable these technologies to meet the challenges laid out by the European Green Deal.
France welcomed the Commission’s recommendations and courage. “These new techniques are a source of progress, but we need to establish principles on the purpose of the varieties that result from them, in line with our needs”, stressed the French Minister. He said that the use of such techniques for the creation of herbicide-resistant plants, for example, should be opposed.
Several Ministers also stressed the need to uphold the precautionary principle by putting in place a rigorous system of risk assessment and consumer information. The Luxembourg Minister recalled the importance of the traceability of products resulting from these techniques “for coexistence with organic agriculture”.
The Commission is “fully aware that these techniques raise important societal concerns that we cannot ignore about safety and environmental impacts, coexistence with other types of agriculture and the consumer’s right to information”, which must be taken into account, the Commissioner said. She also stressed, as did many Member States, that “consumers must be properly informed about what they are consuming”.
Revision of the legislation on plant propagating material. The EU Ministers also recognised the need to revise EU legislation on plant propagating material (seeds and seedlings). They were divided on the modalities of the review.
The Council held an exchange of views on the study produced by the Commission on options for updating existing community legislation on the production and marketing of plant propagation material.
This study (https://bit.ly/3uqf7Fc ) presents several options for the future.
Overall, Ministers preferred options to revise the rules to address challenges such as climate change, food security and biodiversity conservation. The Council thus recognises the need to take into account the EU’s ‘Farm to Fork’ and biodiversity strategies in the relevant Directives.
France stressed the need to adapt the framework “without calling into question the general principles”. Belgium has called for clearer rules on marketing. Romania advocated “flexible” legislation adapted to the needs of producers and consumers.
The existing Directives need to be updated and simplified, Spain said. Finland and Denmark have also requested an update of the Directives.
Germany insisted on an impact assessment and the Netherlands found it difficult to choose between the options presented. Poland prefers very minimal modifications of the older Directives. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)