European Commission Proposal on New GMOs Favours Biopiracy Over Rights of Farmers and Citizens

On July 5, the European Commission presented its proposal to create a new regulatory framework for certain GMOs . This proposal gives centre stage to biopiracy and the privatization of all seeds by patent-holding companies, to the detriment of farmers’ rights to seed. European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), which represents peasant farmers across Europe, calls on the European Parliament and European Council to reject this unacceptable proposal. Below is ECVC’s initial analysis of the proposal.

The European Commission is looking to abolish the traceability of GMOs resulting from “new genomic techniques”and remove labelling requirements for foods derived from these GMOs. This will help seed companies to push them on the overwhelming majority of the population that currently chooses to avoid GMOs. Behind its pseudo-scientific verbiage, the complexity of the rules proposed by the Commission deliberately renders them unworkable. By removing the obligation of traceability, they have intentionally wiped out all means of verifying that these rules are being applied. On the contrary, the Commission has shown its true colours, putting its trust in the declarations of the self-serving seed industry. On the one hand, when it suits their interests these industry voices claim that their patented GMOs are indistinguishable from plants derived from traditional, non-patentable selections. Yet, when it is in their interests, they will employ an arsenal of techniques to identify their patented genes and any infringement of their patents. The industry will thus be able to claim, without fear of being inspected, that its seeds obtained using new genomic techniques are obtained using other techniques.