The discussion over the future of biotechnology in Europe heated up after the EU Court ruled in July last year that gene editing should, in principle, fall under the GMO Directive.
Several stakeholders and policymakers emphasise that Europe needs to adjust to rapidly changing biotechnology as a way to tackle alarming climate change and simultaneously feed a rising population and help boost farmers’ income.
On the other hand, environmentalists warn about the negative implications of biotechnology.
In this special report, EURACTIV will focus on the future of biotechnology in Europe, the regulatory framework of the so-called new plant breeding techniques as well as GMOs.
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Andriukaitis: 100-year old production models cannot achieve food sustainability
According to the UN, the amount of food produced globally needs to double to feed a rising world population. Policymakers are poring over ways to ensure the sustainability of food systems while emerging new technologies, promising to tackle climate change, still face resistance.
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MEPs slam gene-editing court ruling as damaging for SMEs
It is much easier for larger companies to implement new GM legislation, but it's the smaller ones that are most affected by the recent gene-editing ruling, the chair of the agriculture committee (AGRI) MEP, Norbert Lins, told EURACTIV.com at the sidelines of a recent plant breeding conference.
