Regulating Agricultural Biotechnology: Towards an Integral Regime for the Coexistence of GMO and Non-GMO Agriculture in the European Union, 2009 - 2011

This project studies the past, current, and forthcoming regulatory approach to agricultural biotechnology in the European Union (EU). In particular, it examines the response of the EU and its Member States to the legal implications of the introduction of novel genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in existing agricultural and food production systems. In the context of the overall regulatory framework for GMOs in the EU, with extensive legal requirements for e.g. labelling and purity levels, traceability, and monitoring, the commercial-scale cultivation of GM crops on EU soils will require a regulatory response to the socio-economic, environmental, and health implications of the coexistence between agricultural biotechnology and organic and conventional farming. This project aims to map these so-called “coexistence” issues, as well as the regulatory approaches thereto by the EU, individual Member States, and international trading partners; and to formulate policy recommendations for an integral and consistent integration of coexistence legislation into the overall regulatory regime for GMOs in the EU.

Contact information: Mr. Thijs Etty