Coceral, in a joint statement with 20 stakeholders active at the EU level, has delivered a letter on the evolutionary legislation on New Genomic Techniques. The new legislative framework is expected to be unveiled in late June, according to the latest information available, and some political choices must still be made, including on traceability and transparency of “conventional-like” NGTs.
In our perspective, it is important not imposing traceability, labelling, and coexistence measures that place specific obligations on farmers growing conventional-like NGT varieties. This is specifically important in the global context, considering the trade-related challenges that might arise in case the EU's approach would not align with the enabling policies increasingly being adopted by Europe’s trade partners.
In addition, Imposing extra-requirements (traceability, segregation and labelling) to conventional-like NGTs products would be discriminatory, not proportionate and not science-based.
Eventually in a market-oriented, consumer-driven food value chain, freedom of choice means that legitimate production choices have economic consequences, i.e., food business operators have to bear the costs for the benefits they (can) get: transparency, traceability and segregation should reflect this baseline principle. This assumption, so far has well governed the relationship between conventional and premium price/niche markets, including the organic sector, and should remain in place.
