The (outgoing) Spanish minister Luis Planas said after a multi-day informal meeting in Cordoba that he wants to push the GMO dossier through the European Parliament this year.
In early July, the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal to permit the use of certain genome techniques (such as CRISPR-Cas). This move by Brussels responds to demands, especially from the agricultural sector, to relax the current outdated legislation.
The new genetic techniques dossier is one of the remaining matters to be dealt with under the European Green Deal of the now-departed Climate Commissioner Frans Timmermans. The planned legislation to halve the use of hazardous chemical agents in agriculture still needs to be approved by the EU member states’ ministers and the European Parliament.
Planas praised the fact that organic farming will also remain exempt from new breeding techniques. He pointed out that many details are still being clarified. There is concern that some dossiers may be postponed until after the European elections in June 2024.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski stressed that new patents resulting from new breeding techniques should not lead to additional costs for farmers. Wojciechowski also expressed the opinion that organic farming would remain free from genetic manipulation.
Additionally, Wojciechowski reiterated his statement from last week regarding EU measures against Ukrainian agricultural imports. The Pole reiterated that he believes the restrictions should be extended. His fellow commissioners (yet) do not agree with him.
The issue is back on the agenda for discussion at Thursday’s Brussels meeting. Planas said that Ukrainian grain exports will again be on the (this time: formal) agenda of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council at the end of this month.
Several thousand Spanish farmers responded to the call from joint agricultural unions to protest against restrictions on European agricultural policy. Minister Planas said at the closing press conference that 'doing nothing is no longer an option.'