Latest compromise text on “new genomic techniques” has severe deficiencies, worrisome consequences for EU breeders, farmers & food industries
BRUSSELS, 27 FEBRUARY 2025 – According to IFOAM Organics Europe, the latest draft compromise text on the legislative proposal on so-called “New Genomic Techniques” (NGTs) presented to Member States on 19 February 2025 has severe deficiencies with worrisome consequences for European breeders, farmers, and the food industry. The current draft text would leave European breeders and farmers unprotected from patent claims and the agriculture and food industry with insufficient means to safeguard their entrepreneurial freedom.
“After more than 18 months of constricted discussions in the Council, we are now faced with a new text that ignores the repeated and clear demands of the European food and farming sector, breeders, environmental organisations, and citizens”, said Jan Plagge, president of IFOAM Organics Europe.
He continues: “We are left with question marks about what happened to the encouraging ambitions in the Council to protect the European breeding sector from the threat of patent protections. In the very least, patent claims should not extend to genetic material that can also be obtained by conventional breeding or that is occurring in nature, and the text does not even clarify this aspect. Legal experts have made it clear that it is possible to limit the scope of patents on plants and animals with a targeted modification of the Biotech Directive 98/44”.
A recent white paper on mitigating the impact of patents on plants obtained from NGTs was published on 27.01.2025 by the Humboldt University of Berlin which proposes concrete amendment suggestions to Directive 98/44 that could potentially address the issue of patent scope (for more information, see the link in the background information below).
“Besides patents, there are a number of other outstanding issues that policymakers need to urgently address. This is the only way to safeguard the entrepreneurial freedom of businesses and food sovereignty in the European Union. Namely, the European Parliament has rightfully decided to introduce traceability in their position to protect the freedom of choice of the farming and food sector. The Council should follow suit and additionally protect the integrity of organic and conventional GMO-free production by securing their national sovereignty and right to introduce national coexistence measures”, pointed Plagge.
Organic producers count on Member States in the Council to secure their right to take traceability and national coexistence measures to ensure the freedom of farmers, food producers and consumers not to use genetic engineering techniques.
