Brussels – The European Commission proposal on new GMOs, and amendments supported today by the European Parliament’s environment committee, risk violating the rights of farmers and consumers, according to new legal analysis by Greenpeace.

The proposed law does not provide sufficient protection against the contamination of crops with new GMOs, which are obtained through so-called new genomic techniques (NGTs). 

Greenpeace EU GMO campaigner Eva Corral said: “Decades of progress in the EU on farmers’ rights, and protecting people’s health and the environment, should not be scrapped for the sake of biotech industry profits. Safety measures do not hinder innovation, nor do current rules that apply to GMOs. EU law does not prohibit research and development: it aims to ensure that what is developed does not breach EU citizens’ rights to health and environmental protection.” 

Greenpeace’s legal analysis shows that, if adopted, the law could violate a broad body of EU constitutional law, including several articles of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, because rules on safety checks, labelling and traceability are removed or watered down. It could also violate the fundamental rights of farmers to property and the freedom to run a business, because it does not provide sufficient protection against the contamination of crops with new GMOs. 

New GMOs are currently covered by the existing EU legislation on GMOs, with all GMOs subject to safety checks, traceability and labelling. 

Following today’s environment committee vote, the European Parliament plenary is expected to vote on the proposed law in February. EU governments are also trying to secure an agreement on the Commission’s proposal, after a deal was rejected in December.

Contacts:

Eva Corral – Greenpeace EU GMO campaigner: +32 479 60 12 89, [email protected]

Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, [email protected]

For breaking news and comment on EU affairs: www.twitter.com/GreenpeaceEU

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.

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