As of: February 21, 2024, 10:00 a.m
By: Sebastian Grauvogl
Comments
Press
Split
The labeling requirements for genetically modified foods are to be relaxed in the future.
© Joerg Boethling/Imago (symbol image)
Setback for Miesbach's civil courage: The EU Parliament voted with a narrow majority in favor of deregulation of new genetic engineering.
But the action alliance remains combative.
District
– It is “five to twelve,” civil courage spokesman Rüdiger Obermaier warned in July 2022.
At an information event, the Miesbacher Aktionsbündnis explained the dangers of new genetic engineering and the deregulation planned by the EU.
If you stay in this picture, the hands of the clock have seemingly moved on inexorably since then.
On February 7th, another significant mark on the dial was reached: The EU Parliament voted with a narrow majority for the introduction of two categories of plants produced using New Genetic Engineering (NGT): Those in category one should therefore be seen as conventional plants and are therefore no longer subject to risk assessment.
The requirements still apply to category two, and NGT plants should generally remain excluded from organic farming.
However, an amendment put forward by the Social Democrats and the Greens also prevailed, according to which all NGT plants must continue to be labeled as such along the entire value chain.
Mandatory traceability also met with majority approval in parliament.
Civil courage reacts with incomprehension
Civil Courage is stunned by this decision: “It seems questionable whether all MPs have understood what they have decided and what consequences can be expected from it,” said the action alliance in a one-and-a-half-page statement.
Especially since some CSU politicians in parliament also voted for the deregulation in Brussels, despite the “GMO-free Bavaria” enshrined in the Bavarian nature conservation law.
Above all, however, Civil Courage criticizes what it sees as a lack of public information and discussion in the run-up to the vote and wonders whether, in view of the impending risks posed by the NGT, the “duty of precaution towards citizens is not being undermined”.
“In a democracy, society should be involved in such far-reaching and momentous decisions.” Especially in this case, where the majority reject genetic engineering in their food.
Like other nature conservation associations, Civil Courage Miesbach sees the arguments put forward in favor of NGT, such as better adaptation of plants to climate change and savings in pesticides, as fake.
For example, farmers in Brazil would return to their climatically and regionally optimized seeds.
In general, the new genetic engineering is a “huge business for industrial groups in the agricultural sector”.
Politicians would pay more attention to their lobbyists than to independent scientists and the will of the citizens.
Concern about free access to seeds
In doing so, the EU is endangering farmers' free access to seeds worldwide and thus the food sovereignty of the people.
Civil Courage Miesbach fears that the mixing of NGT plants with conventionally or organically produced products, which is expected due to natural outcrossing, will also result in “huge financial damage to the organic sector.”
And yet the action alliance ends with a hopeful appeal: resignation is out of the question, the fight for freedom from genetic engineering continues with many comrades-in-arms and, if necessary, through appeals to the courts.
The Civil courage.
In fact, it currently looks as if the final trilogue negotiations between the EU legislative bodies will no longer be concluded before the European elections at the beginning of June.
The disagreement among agriculture ministers in the member states is still too great.
“The last word has not yet been spoken,” the representatives of the action alliance are convinced. And so the twelve o’clock chime has not yet sounded.
My news
Ski stop at Jenner: lift operators at Spitzingsee and Sudelfeld remain relaxed
Forsthaus Valepp: District office replaces municipality of Jalesen
Hotel Terofal is up for sale again – for several million euros
Schlierseer Hof: referendum decided read
1 hour ago
“Dialects are a cultural asset”: Stefanie Prochazka (34) on the meaning of language and regional peculiarities
Parsberg's voice has fallen silent: ex-city council member Ludwig Kuchler (76) has died
sg