We’re calling on everyone who produces and sells Non-GMO products and who wants clear transparency and labelling of GMO products to continue to have their say and complete the European Commission's questionnaire on New Genomic Techniques. The questionnaire is part of a wider stakeholder consultation, which has been running since April and will close on 22nd July. So, it’s “now or never” to have your voice heard and stand up for the interests of the Non-GMO food sector.
It is clear from the questionnaire, which is strongly biased – in terms of false claims, the questions posed and the lack of space and options for responses - that the EC is striving to lower or even abolish food safety assessment and transparency standards for most new GMOs.
Active and wide-scale participation of conventional and organic Non-GMO food producers and marketers is vital. The more companies from the food and feed sector proactively speak out in favour of strict regulation of New GMOs, the more powerful the signal to the EC, member states and the European Parliament - as political decision makers on this issue - will be. The Non-GMO sector will need to actively stand up for its business interests!
The Non-GMO sector should take part in the consultation in order to:
• protect its freedom to conduct Non-GMO business;
• avoid disrupting the booming conventional and organic Non-GMO markets, which are widely seen as strong markets of the future;
• meet consumer expectations for Non-GMO food
The questionnaire can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13119-Legislation-for-plants-produced-by-certain-new-genomic-techniques/public-consultation_en
Get in touch for a full briefing or for any further guidance on the Commission's questionnaire: info@enga.org