PRESS RELEASE: Vote in Parliament on New Genomic Techniques
COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC acknowledge progress by the European Parliament’s decision in favour of the Regulation on New Genomic Techniques and remain committed to supporting further improvement of the text
On 7 February, the European Parliament Plenary adopted its position on a regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed (COM(2023) 411). COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC remain committed to further scrutinizing the draft and supporting the legislative process, once the full text will be public.
While the vote goes in the right direction, recognizing the need for a new regulation on NGTs, there are still areas in which the text must be improved, if the European Union intends to give the farming community New Genomic Techniques as a new tool to address climate change impact and the sustainability goals of the Green Deal.
In particular, this is true for the same compulsory labelling for all NGT products, undermining the very essence of a distinction between Category 1 (conventional-like) NGTs and other NGTs to be treated like GMOs. This aspect could represent a relevant obstacle to the adoption of the technology and to the clarity of the information passed onto the citizens and consumers. Furthermore, mandatory labelling (“New Genomic Techniques”) would stigmatize Category 1 NGT products, although EFSA has -on multiple occasions-, declared that Category 1 NGTs do not pose additional risks to those of varieties obtained through conventional breeding methods.
A regulatory framework that is easy to implement with clear-cut criteria to determine the application or exclusion of GMO considerations, with a set of rules applicable throughout the Single Market., will facilitate the placing on the market and processing of food and feed materials. This, in turn, will contribute significantly to enhancing the competitiveness of both the industry and the farming sector within the EU.
COCERAL is the European association of trade in cereals, oilseeds, pulses, olive oil, oils and fats, animal feed and agrosupply. It represents the interest of the European collectors, traders, importers, exporters and port silo storekeepers of the above-mentioned agricultural products. COCERAL’s direct members are located in 14 EU countries, with one European association, Unistock representing the professional portside storekeepers for agribulk commodities within the EU and one associated member in Switzerland. With about 3,000 companies as part of COCERAL national members, the sector trades agricultural raw materials destined to the supply of the food and feed chains, as well as for technical and energy uses. Gafta is an extraordinary member of COCERAL.
FEDIOL, the EU vegetable oil and protein meal industry association, represents the interests of the European oilseed crushers, vegetable oil refiners and bottlers. FEDIOL members are 10 national associations and associated company members in 7 other EU countries. With about 180 facilities in Europe, the sector provides 20,000 direct employments. Its members process approximately 55 million tonnes of basic products a year, both of EU origin and imported from third country markets. The sector processes notably rapeseed, sunflower seed, soybeans and linseed into oils and meals for food, feed, technical and energy uses essentially on the European market.
FEFAC, the European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation, represents 23 national Associations in 23 EU Member States as well as Associations in Switzerland, Turkey, Serbia, Russia and Norway with observer/associate member status. The European compound feed industry employs over 100,000 people on app. 3,500 production sites often in rural areas, which offer few job opportunities.