GMOs
Industry and farmers expect ‘science-based’ solutions to deliver New Green Deal
The agri-food industry and EU farmers are calling for clarity and science-based solutions to meet their objectives as part of the EU’s recently announced European Green Deal. The new plans, combined with the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy and a reformed...
European Green Deal vague on pesticides, genetic engineering
The Green Deal presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (11 December) avoided two controversial agricultural issues: genetic engineering and pesticide limits. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Corteva signs first major gene editing deal with European company
Despite the ongoing legal uncertainty over the future of new plant breeding innovation in Europe, US agricultural company Corteva Agriscience has signed the first major deal on genome editing tools with French seed producer Vilmorin & Cie.
EU study to clarify gene editing court ruling further muddies waters
After the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that organisms obtained by new plant breeding techniques (NBTs) should, in principle, fall under the GMO Directive, the Council of the EU has requested a study from the Commission to clarify the situation. But what this means in practice remains unclear.
Andriukaitis: Europe should take lead in science-based plant innovation
The EU is leading the science-based fight against climate change and it will also lead on science-based plant innovation, writes former EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis.
UK faced with EU-US biotechnology dilemma post-Brexit
The question of whether the UK will open its doors to GMOs after Brexit has become more pertinent after EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told MEPs on Tuesday (26 November) that in order to secure a trade agreement, the UK would have to agree to maintain a ‘level playing field’ and not undercut EU regulation.
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.
Biotechnology: Europe’s next ‘hot potato’
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. We focus on the future of biotechnology in Europe, the regulatory framework of the so-called new plant-breeding techniques, as well as GMOs.
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.OpinionPromoted content
Senselessly shunning science: the EU Parliament’s GMO dilemma
Europe seems increasingly ready to face the challenges of the 21st century and to lead the way to a ‘greener’ and more sustainable future. But what role can the EU Parliament play in the face of recent unsubstantiated “objections” against GMOs?
No ‘magical’ alternative to glyphosate in the next 5 years, Bayer official says
In the next five years, no alternative to glyphosate is going to “magically” appear in the market, Dr Bob Reiter, a high-ranking official from Bayer, told EURACTIV.com, referring to the controversial herbicide that has been the subject of heated debates across Europe.
Forest protection likely to be new priority for EU Parliament
Large areas of forest are being cleared worldwide for the agricultural industry. Although the EU requires its contracting partners to protect the environment, it lacks the means for enforcement. Environmentalists and the European Parliament see an urgent need for action. EURACTIV Germany reports.
World’s sixty largest meat, dairy and fish farms ranked in new sustainability index
A group of concerned investors has examined the sustainability of the world's largest fattening farms and dairy factories that supply the global food industry. And the results aren't mouth-watering, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Protein discussion likely to be on next European Commission agenda
Fires that consume the Amazon rainforest are often started by farmers who are attempting to meet the growing demand for soybeans. Now, France wants to convince its European partners of the EU's potential role as a leader on the plant protein market. EURACTIV France reports.
Organic farmers oppose separate framework for new plant breeding techniques
Any attempt to exclude the so-called new plant breeding techniques from the GMO legislation would deal a severe blow to consumers, farmers and processors, according to the EU organic farmers’ movement (IFOAM).
Eyeing US trade deal, new UK PM whets biotech industry appetite on GMOs
Eyeing a quick trade deal with the United States after Brexit, UK's new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tried to revive discussions over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Give the people what they want: Non-GMO sells
For many years leading European food retailers have been following a strict non-GMO policy. Retailers are the parties most concerned when it comes to GMO regulation. For them, the proper implementation of the ECJ ruling is crucial, writes Heike Moldenhauer.
French opposition is strongly united against CETA
The French parliament is supposed to ratify the Canada-EU free trade agreement (CETA) on Tuesday (23 July), but the pending ratification is generating a great deal of opposition in the country. EURACTIV France reports.
EU agriculture chief slams ‘misinformation’ on Mercosur trade deal
There's a lot of misinformation and misplaced facts which have distorted the debate about the recently concluded Mercosur trade deal, EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has said.
French MEP: When it comes to the environment, the future CAP is regressive
In an interview with EURACTIV France, French MEP and vice-chair of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group Eric Andrieu spoke about the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and highlighted its lack of environmentally-focused provisions.
Has Europe lost the new biotechnology battle?
The EU's rules on GMOs risk stifling innovation in biotechnology and could lead to China and the US increasing their patent domination, writes Marcel Kuntz.
CETA and Mercosur meat quotas expose France’s double standards
While France is challenging the meat quotas provided for in the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, it plans to ratify the EU-Canada free trade agreement (CETA), which has been criticised by French beef producers. EURACTIV France reports.
Farming innovation debate heats up as Greens grow in Europe
The rise of Green parties in the last EU elections has raised eyebrows in Brussels, where agriculture stakeholders try to find out what is next in the debate about the future of EU farming.