Thread by @GMWatch

German ministry warns on risks of new #GMO products gmwatch.org/en/106-news/la… And even the European Commission's representative expects gene-edited organisms will be traceable and labelled. #GMOs

The German environment minister @SteffiLemke emphasised that there's no need to regulate new #GMOs differently. But she said if new regulation is introduced in the EU, we need risk assessment and mandatory labelling (both of which are missing from #GMO deregulation in the UK)

@SteffiLemke The German environment minister also warned that that new GMO techniques (involving gene editing) have unintended effects, that new #GMO products may pose risks for health and the environment, and that the claimed benefits are not proven: "There is a high risk of greenwashing."

@SteffiLemke The German environment minister also cautioned that new #GMOs could threaten the EU target of making 25% of farming organic by 2050. She said that to address food and farming problems, "we need solutions that don't expose us to additional risks", eg to health and the environment.

@SteffiLemke Prof Agapito of the Norwegian govt's research institute disputed industry claims gene-edited organisms would be undetectable. As well as lab techs, she said the documentation trails used in blockchain technology could be relied on (organic produce is verified by document trails)

Dr Christiane Paulus, director general for Nature Conservation at the German environment ministry agreed with environment minister🇩🇪 @SteffiLemke that we cannot say that new #GMO (gene-edited) products pose lower risks than older-style #GMOs.

Dr Christiane Paulus, DG for Nature Conservation at the German environment ministry also said coexistence was not possible, especially when it came to #GMOs "made" in the field by spraying gene-editing tools onto crops, such as products that have been deregulated in Brazil.

Isabelle Buscke (@ibuscke) of @vzbv said firms obviously know how to identify their gene-edited varieties or they'd be unable to protect their patents. She said EU food law provides for free & informed choice. And traceability is indispensable in case adverse effects appear later

@ibuscke @vzbv Isabelle Buscke (@ibuscke) also reported the findings of a @beuc [European Consumer Organisation] survey in 2020, which showed that consumers want environmentally friendly & GMO-free food, as well as a German survey which showed that well-informed and young consumers reject #GMOs

@ibuscke @vzbv @beuc MEP @MartinHaeusling said farmers & consumers don't want to change #GMO regulations. ~650M Euros have been spent on GMO research but none of that has gone on studies on risks or detection methods. He said the GMO industry is afraid to label new #GMOs as they know people won't buy

@ibuscke @vzbv @beuc @MartinHaeusling MEP @PDurandOfficiel said deregulation of new #GMO techniques could threaten our relationship with nature & consumers' health, as well as leading to increased corporate domination of markets through patents. He wants new #GMOs to continue to be subjected to the GMO regulations🇪🇺

@ibuscke @vzbv @beuc @MartinHaeusling @PDurandOfficiel MEP @anjahazekamp dismissed the promises made for new #GMO products, saying, "We've heard it all before" with the first generation of GMOs. She said they offered no benefits, but only threats, and warned that deregulation of new #GMOs will have "disastrous effects on animals".