German Alliance publishes resolution to regulate new genetic engineering processes

In the coming weeks, the European Court of Justice will give its opinion on the legal classification of new genetic engineering procedures. On this basis, the EU Commission and EU Member States decide whether and how they will regulate them in future.

A broad alliance of German organic and nature conservation organisations has addressed a resolution to European and national policy representatives. The demand: The new genetic engineering procedures must be regulated according to the Genetic Engineering Act!

BNN managing director (Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren) Elke Röder comments: "Consumers reject genetic engineering - in the field and on the plate. The economy must accept this and politics must act accordingly. So much for the theory. However, we are currently witnessing attempts to circumvent or even undermine the Genetic Engineering Act with new genetic engineering methods such as genome editing or targeted mutagenesis. This must be prevented! This is because it is undoubtedly genetic engineering and no one knows what long-term effects DNA changes will have.

Consumer protection is one of the fundamental tasks of politics. Politics has the task of competently evaluating even complicated facts and thus protecting consumers or enabling them to protect themselves, the environment and future generations.