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Testbiotech: First recommendations in regard to the EU Commission NGT proposal

New regulation of genetically engineered plants should be completely revised or rejected

18 July 2023 / Testbiotech is today publishing a backgrounder on the first analysis of the EU Commission proposal for the future EU regulation of plants obtained from NGTs (new genomic techniques, or new genetic engineering, New GE). The aim is to identify some of the fundamental elements that need be taken into account in further discussions on the proposal, in particular with regard to risk assessment. Testbiotech recommends that the EU Commission proposal is rejected unless they undergo major revision and amendments. For this purpose, Testbiotech is making first suggestions.

EU Commission wants to exempt many New GE plants from risk assessment

Proposed deregulation goes against science

5 July 2023 / The EU Commission today published a proposal for the deregulation of plants derived from of New GE (new genetic engineering or new genomic techniques, NGTs). For this purpose, the Commission has attempted to establish a new ‘Category 1’ of plants derived from New GE processes which would be exempt from current GMO regulation. New GE plants in this new category would be seen as safe as those derived from conventional breeding. The plants would not be subjected to mandatory risk assessment, they would only require notification.

‘Second-hand GE’ plants claimed as inventions

How CRISPR/Cas & Co are being used to create new seed monopolies

4 July 2023 / A new Testbiotech report published today shows that an increasing number of patents are being filed for New GE (New Genetic Engineering, new genomic techniques, NGTs). The effects of these patents may also impact conventional plant breeding. If this development is not stopped, plant genomes will become a ‘minefield’ of patent monopolies.

Did the EU Commission interfere with the scientific independence of EFSA?

EFSA factsheet on New GE published ‘just in time’ to serve political goals

30 June 2023 / Testbiotech has sent a letter to the EU Commission to express its concerns about the scientific independence of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which may have been compromised by the EU Commission. The reason: EFSA issued a factsheet on the risks of plants obtained from new genetic engineering (New GE, new genomic techniques, NGT) and took a position supporting EU Commission plans to deregulate the technology. If these techniques are deregulated, mandatory risk assessment would, in many cases, no longer be required.