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"Future commission“ supports regulation of new genetic engineering

The Commission for the Future of Agriculture ("Zukunftskommission Landwirtschaft" - ZKL) emphasizes the great importance of GMO-free production in Germany and freedom of choice for consumers and calls for the regulation of new genetic engineering methods such as CRISPR, including risk assessment and approval, taking into account the precautionary principle.

German Green Party in favour of regulation and labelling of new GMO

In their election manifesto, which has now been adopted at the national party conference, the Greens have clearly declared their support for the regulation and labelling of old and new GMOs. GMO-free production and consumers' freedom of choice shall be protected.

Europe's Food Retail Sector calls for clear regulation of New GMOs

The "Retailers' Resolution against Deregulating New GMOs" demands protection for "Non-GMO“ and organic products by the continued practice of the existing EU GMO legislation. All GMOs on plates and fields should remain strictly regulated in the EU, the precautionary principle and labelling must not be undermined.

Green-conservative coalition government: German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg to remain GMO-free

In their new coalition agreement, the Greens and the CDU (Christian Democrats, conservative party) have committed themselves to “GMO free”. GM plants will not be cultivated in the southwest German state in the future either. The same rules are to apply to new GMOs as to "old" GMOs.

New GMOs: EU Commission must make significant improvements

In its publication on the future handling of new genetic engineering methods, the EU Commission gives broad space to the positions of promoters of genetic engineering, but wants to stick to safety for consumers and the environment as guiding principles. Safety, protection of "Ohne Gentechnik" and organic farming as well as GMO labelling are explicitly mentioned, but fall far too short in the conclusions.

94 associations call for strict regulation of GMOs

In a joint position paper, a broad alliance of 94 NGOs from environmental protection, animal welfare, nature conservation, development policy, churches, consumer protection, agriculture, breeding and the food industry has called on the German government to continue to regulate and label all current and future genetic engineering methods and their products as GMOs.d zu kennzeichnen.

"Ohne Gentechnik" grows - preserve transparency!

In 2020, consumers in Germany spent around 12.6 billion euros on products with the "Ohne GenTechnik" (Non GMO) label, an increase of more than 12 percent. The market share in food is thus around 5.4 percent. To secure this success in the long term, new GMOs must also remain regulated as GMOs. After the publication of the EU study on the topic next week, the debate is likely to gain steam.

Unapproved GM starch could enter Europe unnoticed

The company Corteva has developed a maize with a modified starch composition using new genetic engineering methods. The starch produced from this could also be sold to Europe - as a GMO-free product.

Large majority in favour of labeling new GMO

70 percent of people in Germany who have heard of new genetic engineering techniques such as CRISPR want compulsory labeling of foods produced with them. Across the EU, 68 percent are in favour. This was the result of a recent survey.

Japan: CRISPR tomato to be launched on the market without GMO assessment

A Japanese company has developed a tomato with CRISPR/Cas9 that contains particularly large amounts of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Due to Japanese genetic engineering deregulation, the product can be marketed without approval.

Baden-Württemberg election: parties controversial on GMOs

Will genetic engineering be an election issue? In Baden-Württemberg, among other places, the German super election year 2021 starts on March 14. The local Action Alliance for GMO-Free Agriculture asked the parties about their positions on genetic engineering in the run-up to the state election. The Greens, CDU, SPD and FDP responded - and quite controversially.

BVL welcomes Cibus test: it's about the mutation, not its cause

At an expert meeting on detection methods for "New GMO" plants, representatives of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) expressly welcomed the publication of the test for Cibus "Gene Editing" canola by VLOG, Greenpeace and others in September 2020. Such detection, they said, was about identifying the mutation, not its cause.

Expert panel in the "Bundestag" - New GMOs: Use detection methods, ensure GMO free food and feed!

„New GMOs" are also GMOs, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) clarified in 2018. In order to ensure that no illegal GMO-plants enter our food and feed it is necessary to use reliable detection methods. This was the topic of an expert panel with representatives of authorities and other experts in the German Parliament on 22 Feb 2021.

Czech and German "Ohne Gentechnik" standards mutually recognized

After a year of intensive detailed work, the Czech feed association SKK and VLOG have reached an agreement on the mutual recognition of their "Ohne Gentechnik" standards. This is an important step for cross-border trade, for German and Czech producers - and also for consumers.

Genetic Engineering at the International Green Week 2021

Due to the Corona virus, International Green Week (IGW) and its many accompanying events had to be cancelled as large on-site events in 2021: No-one milling around between the animals and food stands, no receptions, no big rally. Yet agricultural policy was still widely discussed in various online events – and, of course, the topics included genetic engineering.

Great Britain seeks to deregulate genetic engineering

While the UK was still a member of the EU, the British government supported agricultural genetic engineering to the extent possible. After the completion of Brexit, it is now free to restructure its genetic engineering laws. And apparently it’s not losing any time in doing so.

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