Ministry Stands Firm: Advocates for GMO-Free Agriculture
Hungary to Maintain GMO-Free Status in Agriculture Despite New Regulation Proposals
The Ministry of Agriculture in Hungary has confirmed that the country will continue to adhere to its GMO-free status in agriculture. This announcement comes after negotiations in Brussels regarding the regulation of new genetic modification techniques.
The European Commission recently published a proposal for regulating genetically modified (GM) crops, which categorizes new GM crops into two categories. Each category would be subjected to different procedures for use and marketing. However, the proposal does not allow Member States to decide independently on the cultivation of plants produced with these new genetic engineering techniques on their territory.
Hungary has expressed concern about this limitation, as the country played a crucial role in amending the EU’s GMO Directive in 2015 to allow member states to decide for themselves whether or not to cultivate GMOs on their territory.
The new genetic engineering techniques, such as gene editing, have the potential to produce almost any GMO by targeting the plant genome in a laboratory setting. While these techniques are used in various fields, including health, industry, and agriculture, the cultivation of genetically modified organisms can pose environmental and health risks that must be evaluated before they are introduced into the market.
Hungary emphasizes the precautionary principle and believes that proper assessment of the health and environmental risks should precede the placement of these products on the market in the European Union. The country prioritizes strengthening and maintaining food and nutrition security, as well as protecting the interests of traditional and organic farmers. The regulation of new genetic engineering techniques should include guarantees for proper labeling and traceability of products and allow for their exclusion from organic farming.
By maintaining mandatory labeling, consumer choice can be guaranteed. Therefore, Hungary opposes any initiative that would allow products produced using new genetic engineering techniques to be placed on the market without prior testing and approval.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s stance reflects Hungary’s commitment to maintaining its GMO-free status in agriculture and ensuring the safety and well-being of its population.
