Dutch VVD Member of the European Parliament Jan Huitema has been appointed by the liberal Renew group as chairman of a working group tasked with formulating a position on the approval of new breeding techniques.
Yesterday, the liberal group in the European Parliament reached agreement on a joint position on this subject. Renew Europe is asking the European Commission for a separate legislative proposal to approve new GMO techniques. According to Huitema, this is historic, as it appears for the first time there is a political majority to move these techniques forward within the EU.
Developments in biotechnology are currently advancing at a rapid pace. This allows breeders of food crops to develop varieties faster and more precisely, which can be cultivated with significantly fewer crop protection agents.
Often referred to as “New Genomic Techniques” (NGTs), these new techniques are defined by EU researchers as “techniques that can alter the genetic material of an organism and that have emerged or been primarily developed since 2001.”
Examples of these techniques include Site-directed Nuclease Technology (SDN), Oligonucleotide-directed Mutagenesis (ODM), RNA-dependent DNA methylation (RdDm), cisgenesis, intragenesis, grafting onto genetically modified rootstocks, and reverse breeding.
Currently, such new techniques still fall under the European legislation for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) from 2001. Due to these ‘outdated’ approval criteria, the potential of new techniques, according to agricultural entrepreneurs, cannot be fully harnessed.
Huitema expressed great satisfaction that Renew Europe has adopted a positive stance on new breeding techniques. “With the support of my liberal group, it now seems there is a majority for a European law on new breeding techniques, separate from the existing GMO legislation. This brings the use of this biotechnology within reach for breeders. An important step for the EU,” said Huitema.