Food placed on the EU-market has to be safe and adequately labelled to enable free and informed food choices. "The right to safety" and "the right to choose" are basic UN consumer rights.
In 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled that products from new breeding techniques are to be considered genetically modified organisms. This means that such products need a premarket approval and clear labelling. The Commission is now carrying out an analysis if current EU-legislation should be amended in terms of these new techniques. While agribusiness demands a fast track approval and refuses labelling, the organic sector and GM-free food producers fear for the quality of their products.
A current study by the Environment Agency Austria examines possible changes in EU legislation and corresponding consequences from the consumers‘ point of view. Referring to the outcomes of this study, we want to discuss which kind of regulations consumers expect when it comes to new genetic engineering technologies.

Speakers:

Presentation of the study „New Genetic Engineering – A basis for the
upcoming political debate":

Andreas Heissenberger (Environment Agency Austria)

Panel discussion:

Günther Sidl, Member of the European Parliament (S&D)
Irene Sacristan Sanchez, European Commission (DG Sante)
Eric Gall, Ifoam Organics Europe
Iris Strutzmann, Austrian Chamber of Labour

Moderation:

Dave Keating, Journalist

The webinar will take place from 16.00 to 17.00. It will be held in English and streamed via MS Teams. After registration you will receive a link to the online event. You can join the webinar via the MS Teams App or with your browser.