10 1 / 2022 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS
Perspectives on a science-based regulation of genome-edited plants
Leopoldina member Ralph Bock and legal scholar Hans-Georg Dederer on the impact of a 2019 statement
In their joint 2019 statement , the Leopoldina , the Union of German Academies and the German Research Foundation ( DFG ) made the case for excluding certain genome-edited plants from the European Union ’ s strict regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms . The European Commission has now initiated a legislative process following this advice .
BY RALPH BOCK ML UND HANS-GEORG DEDERER *
Genetically modified organisms ( GMOs ) are regulated by restrictive laws in the European Union ( EU ). This has caused green genetic engineering to virtually grind to a halt in Europe . Even the majority of research and development work in this field is now conducted outside of Europe . There are fears that new breeding methods involving genome editing will suffer a similar fate . These methods create new plant varieties which are indistinguishable from conventionally bred plants without needing to integrate foreign genes .
However , a ruling by the European Court of Justice on 25 July 2018 , determined that genome-edited plants are also GMOs and are therefore subject to the EU ’ s strict legal framework . A working group set up largely by the Leopoldina addressed this issue , and over the course of a year prepared a statement on genome editing in plants . In this statement , the working group formulated urgent , scientifically justified recommendations for action for policymakers and , more importantly , legislators . These recommendations included the pressing need to amend the GMO legal framework in Europe .
The statement received a great deal of attention among scientists and politicians , including at EU-level , and prompted discussions between experts and members
Ralph Bock ML
Molecular biologist and director at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam / Germany
Image : MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology
of the German state parliaments , German parliament and European Parliament .
The DFG and the Leopoldina also organised an international conference in autumn 2020 , which addressed political decision-makers working at the European level and attracted even more political attention to the issue . At this event , a discussion was held on the statement and its recommendations in the presence of members of the European Parliament as well as high-level Commission staff and representatives of national authorities .
A study on new genomic techniques published by the European Commission in April 2021 largely confirmed the assessments made by the working group . According to the European Commission , the key question is whether the current legislation is still fit for purpose or whether it needs to be amended . Experts from the working group subsequently met with department leaders at the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture to share their views on the European Commission ’ s study against the backdrop of the statement from 2019 .
Hans-Georg Dederer
Professor at the University of Passau / Germany . The legal scholar is a specialist in European commercial law
Image : University of Passau
In November 2021 , at the invitation of the European Parliament ’ s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and in the presence of civil servants from the European Commission , members of the working group presented the key points made in the statement and answered questions from members of the European Parliament . Shortly before this meeting , the European Commission initiated a legislative process to amend the legal framework for GMOs by publishing an “ inception impact assessment ”.
In the second quarter of 2022 , the European Commission will conduct a further public consultation . It then intends to make an actual legislative proposal one year later .
* Ralph Bock ML and Hans-Georg Dederer are members of the “ Genome-Edited Plants ” working group of the Leopoldina , the Union of German Academies and the DFG .
Statement “ Regulation of genomeedited plants in the EU ”