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Brussels – Slovenia does not support the provisional agreement between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on rules intended to establish in the EU a legal framework for the use of new genomic techniques for the development of plants so that they are more resistant to pests and climate change, the agriculture ministry announced.
At Friday’s meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives’ deputies, Slovenia expressed its opposition to the compromise draft text arising from the political agreement on the draft regulation on plants obtained by new genomic techniques, and on food and feed. It therefore opposes the adoption of the regulation in the proposed form. It believes that the agreement does not address key issues such as risk assessment, labelling, traceability, analytical methods, the possibility for member states to decide independently, and conditions of cultivation, which Slovenia has been pointing out throughout the discussion.
Due to the lack of appropriate tools, in Slovenia’s view official controls would be extremely difficult. Unintentional genetic changes that occur when using new genomic techniques and that may differ from random mutations require the application of the precautionary principle and a prior risk assessment. Without this, there could be negative impacts on production, human and animal health, and the environment. Regarding patenting, Slovenia emphasizes that this issue should primarily be regulated within patent legislation, the ministry notes.
“Slovenia is not opposed to progress, but advocates the introduction of innovations with the necessary caution, taking into account scientific findings and the protection of health, the environment and freedom of choice over economic interests, especially when releasing organisms into the environment, which is an irreversible process with possible long-term consequences,” the ministry wrote. (19 December)