MEP Christophe Clergeau (S&D, French) is not calling for a “no to new genomic techniques” (NGTs), but he is calling, ahead of the vote on Wednesday 24 January in the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, for “a robust method for analysing plants, to distinguish between categories 1 and 2”, as well as a traceability procedure and freedom of choice mechanisms for the benefit of consumers and farmers.
“I’ve never been against” NGTs, he told EUROPE on Tuesday 23 January, the day before the vote on the draft report by Jessica Polfjärd (EPP, Swedish), which amends the European Commission’s initial proposal on NGTs. Mr Clergeau asked the committee to endorse the alternative compromises (including S&D, Greens/EFA, The Left) and to reject those of the rapporteur (see EUROPE 13333/14).
“What concerns me is that we are about to vote on legislation whose legal basis is controversial”, said Mr Clergeau, referring to the recent opinion of the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses).
Instead of a number of modifications, he proposes an analysis of the modified plant with reference to the conventional plant and the changes made, such as the presence of allergens in the modified plant.
The criteria used to distinguish between category 1 and 2 plants should be robust, according to the MP. If the plant shows no differences, it can be in category 1 with a simplified process and, if it shows differences, it should be in category 2 and thus undergo a full analysis according to the model for current GMOs, explains Christophe Clergeau, shadow rapporteur on this text in the European Parliament Committee on Environment.
For category 1 plants, it is calling for traceability, compensation to ensure consumers’ freedom of choice, genuine protection for non-GMO sectors and a ban on NGTs in organic produce.
Mr Clergeau also points out that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not issued an opinion on the two categories, and hopes that it will explain its position on the matter before the plenary vote scheduled for the end of February.
Greenpeace takes up the cause. A new legal analysis unveiled on Tuesday 23 January by the Greenpeace NGO shows that the Commission’s proposal “could violate farmers’ individual rights, in particular their fundamental rights to property and freedom of enterprise”. According to this NGO, the proposed law does not offer “sufficient protection against contamination of crops by new GMOs” and would introduce patents on new GMOs, leading to “a loss of autonomy for European farmers”.
On the issue of patents, Mr Clergeau believes that there should be an obligation to declare patents in the field of new GMOs, so that they are excluded, and that the Biotechnology Directive should be amended to “limit the possibility of extending patents on NGT technologies to products derived from them”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)