EU Backs New Gene-Edited Crop Rules Despite Opposition

EU backs new gene-edited crop rules despite opposition

The European Parliament has approved legislation that will ease restrictions on a new generation of gene-edited crops across the European Union, marking one of the bloc's biggest changes to agricultural biotechnology policy in decades. The rules cover plants developed through New Genomic Techniques, known as NGTs, including gene-editing methods such as CRISPR. Supporters say the technology will help farmers produce crops that are more resistant …

EU vote on new genomic techniques a 'win for farmers and nature'

Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher has said that an EU vote on new genomic techniques (NGTs) is a “win for farmers and for nature”. The European Parliament this week adopted rules on NGTs. It expects these new rules will help in “facilitating access to new plants that are climate and pest resistant, give higher yields and require fewer pesticides”. MEP Kelleher said that NGTs are “fundamentally an acceleration of conventional breeding – no more, n…

A sad day for democracy and science

Yesterday the European Parliament voted to open farm gates – and by extension, our plates – to New Genetic Technologies (NGTs). This is a seismic development that reveals cracks in the EU's democratic institutions. How now to defend our rights as consumers to choose what we eat? Comment by ARC2020 board member Benny Haerlin. Yesterday the European Parliament voted to open farm gates – and by extension, our plates – to New Genetic Technologies (N…