Working groups of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (GFÖ) and of the European Ecological Federation (EEF) published a statement on a recent proposal of the European Commission. They are taking a clear stand against plans to substantially lower the standards for risk assessment of genetically engineered microbes intended for environmental release.
In December 2025, the Commission published a proposal to change current legislation regarding the environmental release of genetically engineered microorganisms (GMMs). The proposal suggests fast track approvals for allegedly ‘low risk’ GMMs including lower standards for risk assessment, monitoring, and detection methods for releases into the environment. It is currently discussed in the EU Parliament.
The ecologists oppose the idea of introducing a so called ‘low-risk’ category for genetically engineered microbes because they can “evolve and spread fast and interact with myriads of other organisms. Thus, introduction of GMMs may destabilize local interaction networks, displacing native microbiota, themselves a valuable genetic resource”. For these reasons, environmental risk assessment should rather be expanded, than reduced.
They also recommend not to waive environmental monitoring (as suggested by the Commission), but in contrary “make long-term monitoring mandatory”. The ecologists also request the manufacturers to prove the functioning of the GMMs prior to approval for release into the environment and to strictly limit the time frame for approvals.
In parallel, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) published a report on the issue, taking a critical standpoint as well: “A general categorisation of GMMs as ‘low-risk GMMs’ is not suitable for risk assessment from an environmental point of view, as it does not sufficiently take into account potentially environmentally relevant characteristics of the GMMs and the different receiving environments.”
Testbiotech published several statements and backgrounds on genetically engineered microbes and the recent plans of the EU and strongly supports these positions.
Contact:
Christoph Then, info@testbiotech.org, Tel +49 151 54638040
Further information:
Testbiotech backgrounder: “Multiple risks: Releases of genetically engineered soil microorganisms“