EU remains strict on new breeding techniques

The European Court has decided not to relax the rules for genetic engineering. According to the Court, the risks of new techniques (such as Crispr Cas) are comparable to those of older techniques.

Plant varieties that have been manipulated with mutagenesis technology remain (legally) genetically modified. Mutagenesis means that the genome of breeds is (targeted) changed without introducing foreign genes. This is in contrast to transgenesis, where genes from a different species are introduced.

Faster breeding
In many countries outside the European Union (EU), the new techniques are used more freely. It is expected that the varieties can be bred faster with the new technologies. That is why an association from Germany had asked for more freedom. However, the European Court finds the risks to human health too great to genetically modified introduce crops.

It is now up to politicians (the European Commission and the Member States). It must accurately implement the decision of the European Court. In concrete terms, this means that genetically modified products remain subject to strict testing and labeling requirements.

Not traceable
The European Court wants to retain these strict requirements, because otherwise new genetically modified organisms and foodstuffs could end up in the environment and the food chain (without having been tested, labeled or traceable). Companies such as Bayer and BASF, among others, already have dozens of patents for the new techniques.

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

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