EuropaBio

Europe Says Yes To Biotech

EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, welcomes today's vote by the European Parliament of the Revision of EU-Directive 90-220 on the deliberate release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the environment.

Although the vote on the numerous articles and amendments deserves some scrutiny, EuropaBio sees its balanced outcome as an important step towards the creation of a regulatory framework for GMOs, which provides clarity, predictability and certainty. It will hopefully help to end the deadlock in which the plant biotechnology industry has found itself for far too long.

The vote is therefore good news for the European citizens and for the European bioindustries alike.

The consumers now can hope to reap the benefits of plant biotechnology soon : higher productivity, food safety and additional expected benefits such as better taste, higher nutritional value and better price in the foreseeable future.

The predictability and transparency of the safety assessment and approval procedure as provided by the Revised Directive will also contribute to a more stable investment climate, improved competitiveness and additional jobs in European biotechnology.

For the industries which EuropaBio represents, safety of products is the overriding consideration and the Association sees the vote by the European Parliament as a recognition of the fact that a thorough safety assessment of genetically enhanced products as practised by the industry and the regulatory authorities is effective and should be continued.

By and large, the European Parliament decision, once endorsed by the Council of Ministers, will help the European bioindustries to further develop the potential of biotechnology. They intend to do so in a responsible way, increasing their efforts towards openness and encouraging dialogue with all stakeholders.