As of: February 14, 2024, 7:52 a.m
By: Robin Dittrich
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Genetically modified foods should come onto the market more quickly.
The European Parliament has now voted on this - it could happen in the summer.
Munich – Many people have different opinions about modern genetic engineering processes.
Some see it as a risk to people and the environment.
Still others see this as a useful weapon in the fight against climate change.
The EU Parliament now wants less strict requirements.
EU Parliament wants to relax genetic engineering guidelines: “Make the food system more sustainable”
Genetically modified foods could soon be found more frequently in German supermarkets.
A majority of members of the EU Parliament were in favor of less strict rules: “The aim is to make the food system both more sustainable and crisis-proof by developing improved plant varieties.” In the future, however, consumers should also be able to recognize which foods have been genetically modified , these should have to be marked.
The labeling requirements for genetically modified foods are to be relaxed in the future.
© Joerg Boethling/Imago (symbol image)
This labeling regulation should also apply if the seeds were created using modern genetic engineering and cannot be distinguished from conventional breeding.
The new regulations have not yet been decided.
The European Parliament must first deal with the EU states.
A result is not expected until after the European elections in the summer.
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) is critical of the project: “There is still no viable proposal that does justice to the interests of agriculture, consumers and the food industry.”
Genetically modified foods: fighting climate change
Deregulation has some supporters who hope for many benefits.
These include plants that have more nutrients or are more resistant to the effects of climate change.
One advantage of this would be that farmers would have to use fewer pesticides to protect crops.
The regulations for organic farmers should not apply: their work must continue to be GMO-free.
This makes them feel disadvantaged and fear that genetically modified plants from other fields could spread to their land.
There are not only positive comments from politicians about the planned changes: “Genetic engineering only enriches the big concerts,” said Carola Rackete, the Left’s top candidate for the European elections.
However, many others supported the project: “Properties such as climate or pest resistance can be achieved in a very targeted manner,” said CDU MEP Peter Liese happily.
In the European Parliament, 307 members voted for the reform, 263 were against and 41 abstained.
(
rd/dpa
)