TESTBIOTECH Background 30 – 4 – 2025

Summary

Whilst we agree with the finding of Vöneky et al. (2025) that the proposed EU legislation for plants obtained from new genetic engineering (new genomic techniques, NGTs) does not meet the obligations under the Cartagena Protocol in regard to notification, information and labeling, we would argue that in regard to risk assessment, the findings of Vöneky et al. (2025) need to be re-examined.

As shown in this background paper, the EU Council proposal would allow the environmental release and marketing of NGT plants without mandatory risk assessment, simply on the basis of formal criteria without these being sufficiently scientifically justifiable.

Therefore, the proposal put forward by the EU Council and the EU Commission neither fulfill EU obligations under the Cartagena Protocol nor the requirements of its Annex III.