New Genomic Techniques (NGT) will be an important topic of the Polish Presidency
After more than 10 years, the European Commission has taken the initiative toward new legislation for new genomic techniques (NGT). The door has swung open for the implementation of these innovations in the EU, and work is now underway to finalize the final form of EU regulation. Opinions of member countries have been gathered, a public consultation has been held and a draft regulatory regulation for NGT plants has been prepared. A few important details remain to be finalized, which will also be considered for the Polish presidency.
New Genomic Techniques (NGT) will be an important topic of the Polish Presidency.
announced Polish Minister of Agriculture Czesław Siekierski
He went on to say that the topic of New Genomic Technologies (NGT) was mainly presented during the Belgian presidency, and before that, also the Spanish presidency, and commented:
The current Hungarian presidency has, one might say, slowed down a bit on the problem, but our presidency is about to begin. The period is extremely difficult, because we also know that we were also in this blocking group. We demanded the introduction of important instruments that would protect the rules of competition in favor of small livestock companies that clash with large corporations.
He stressed that this breeding heritage should be widely available.
We should, as the Presidency, strive to adopt certain solutions, because sometimes if you don't adopt what is already there, you can lose later. [...] There is a big divide, including between continents, when it comes to breeding achievements obtained by NGT methods [...] This is followed by huge money, huge companies, big companies. The work is far advanced in the United States, in China. In Europe, they are also being carried out, but to a lesser extent.
Siekierski pointed out that there should be a series of talks, discussions, and also to take the information about these new breeding techniques to the environment, to the farmers, so as to reassure them, to take away their uncertainty and the feeling that
something is a side road or a door being introduced.
For the PL Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, protection from patenting is extremely important to preserve universal access to these innovations. In his speech, the minister also pointed out a separate issue that may arise on the price of seed in the future. In conclusion, he added that the above issues are important tasks for the Polish presidency.
Polish authorities declare that resistance breeding is gaining importance. It is also important at the scientific level to accelerate breeding work, e.g. using in vitro cultures, which at some point also became new techniques and which allowed to shorten the breeding cycle by two or three years.
Source: MRiRW, Farmer.pl