View in browser   


ENGA Newsletter No. 01 :: December/2021

Dear Readers,

I have the pleasure to welcome you to the first ENGA newsletter - the new European Non-GMO Industry Association.

ENGA is a new Brussels based, international industry association representing the interests of the European Non-GMO sector, in particular in the fields of production, processing, marketing, retail, certification and labelling.

ENGA advocates for EU legislation and policies that secure the regulative framework and the economic basis of Non-GMO production in the long term. This framework is threatened since the EC has started a deregulation process for new GMOs. Deregulation would mean: Lowering or even abolishing of risk assessment and traceability and labelling requirements. The retail sector would be massively affected, according to the “Retailers’ Resolution Against Deregulating New GMOs”, initiated by ENGA. It would be confronted with untested and unlabelled GMOs - and critical inquiries of consumers whose vast majority reject GMOs. The Resolution is still open for signatories.

Meanwhile the European Non-GMO sector is developing very well: Seal awarding organisations in the Czech Republic and in Germany have mutually recognized their Non-GMO standards, the Austrian government is introducing Non-GMO products in public procurement and in Germany three quarter of milk is Non-GMO.

We hope you enjoy reading. Please feel free to distribute this newsletter to your network - as of course we think it is essential to have the voice of ENGA being heard by as many players in the Non-GMO community as possible. We invite representatives of your network to regularly receive our newsletter link subscribe.

We are grateful if you inform your partners and networks about work and goals of ENGA and the possibility for business platforms and companies to join us Membership Benefits.

Kind regards,

Heike Moldenhauer

Secretary General


Inception Impact Assessment on New Genomic Techniques - Input ENGA

With the Inception Impact Assessment on new Genomic Techniques the EU Commission has laid its cards on the table: At the end of the legislative process that has now been started, there is to be a far-reaching deregulation of plants being produced with new genetic engineering methods such as CRISPR/Cas. Freedom to conduct business has to be ensured for the conventional and organic Non-GMO sector, is an essential requirement for ENGA.




Europe's Food Retail Sector Calls for Clear Regulation of New GMOs

Leading European retailers have signed the "Retailers' Resolution against Deregulating New GMOs". They demand that all GMOs should remain strictly regulated in the EU, the precautionary principle, risk assessment and traceability and labelling requirements must continue to be applied. In her response Commissioner Kyriakides did not commit to risk assessment and transparency for new GMOs. Large-scale deregulation of new GMOs is key target of the EC, ENGA expressed its concern in a letter to the Commissioner.




Czech and German Non-GMO Standards Mutually Recognized

After one year of intensive work, the Czech Commodities and Feed Association (SKK) and the German association Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG) agreed to mutual recognition of their Non-GMO standards in March 2021. The new agreement makes Czech-German cross-border trade in feed, raw materials and end products much easier. In the interview, Carla Cizova, Executive Director of the Czech Commodities and Feed Association (SKK) explains the background.




Public Procurement in Austria Goes Non-GMO

In its action plan "National Procurement", published 23 June 2021, the Austrian Federal Government has adopted mandatory GMO-free feeding for all public procurement projects, aiming for 100 percent Non-GMO dairy and meat in 2025.




In Germany Three Quarter of Milk Non-GMO

With more than three quarters in the total volume Non-GMO milk has become the new standard in Germany.





European Non-GMO Industry Association

ENGA (AISBL)
Rue du Monastère 10-12
1000 Bruxelles
Belgium

Telephone: +32 493 3354 91
Email: info(at)enga(dot)org
Website: www.enga.org

subscribe newsletter