On 14 March, a meeting of the Committee of Representatives of the Member States will be held, where the latest proposal of the Polish Presidency concerning plants obtained by new genomic techniques (NGTs) will be discussed. On behalf of the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), which represents European small and medium-scale farmers, we call on EU Member States not to support this proposal, which would seriously threaten the GMO-free economic model, farmers’ rights to seeds, the diversity of the seed sector and Europe’s food sovereignty
Since the publication of the proposal to deregulate GMOs obtained by NGTs (GMOs/NGTs), ECVC has been highlighting the risks associated with this new regulation for small-scale farmers. In particular, patents that cover all GMOs/NGTs are a direct attack on their rights to use and re-use their seeds. By allowing the release of patented GMOs without mandatory publication of the processes allowing them to be detected and identified, farmers will have no protection in the event of contamination (which is unavoidable for certain crops), or when the scope of patents covering a genetic sequence or protein extends to conventional and peasant seeds which naturally contain an equivalent genetic sequence or protein, as permitted by Article 9 of Directive 98/44/EC. The adoption of this new NGT Regulation would force farmers to buy patented seeds every year, to avoid infringement proceedings.
The latest proposal submitted by Poland does not provide any solution to these real risks for the agricultural sector and small traditional seed producers, as ECVC already pointed out in a press release published on 20 February. As it stands, this proposal cannot serve as a basis for a mandate from Poland for a possible trilogue because it does not translate in legislation the commonly agreed need to resolve the patent issue. This implies:
- The obligation to publish the processes to detect and identify GMOs/NGTs, and therefore the patents associated with these GMOs/NGTs.
- The obligation to specifically label all patented seeds.
In addition, ECVC calls to ensure:
- The right of EU Member States to protect their agricultural, organic and GMO-free systems and cultivated and wild biodiversity from genetic contamination, including through national opt-out measures.
- The right of consumers to clear and transparent information on the presence of GMOs/NGTs in marketed products.
- The respect of the precautionary principle, which is a fundamental EU principle.
ECVC calls on Member States to not accept the negotiating mandate requested by Poland as it stands
Contact information
Cloé Mathurin
EN, FR, ES
Policy officer
cloe@eurovia.org
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