Niveau juridique : Union européenne
Dans le cadre de sa présidence du Conseil de l’Union européenne, le ministère de l’agriculture de la République tchèque, soutenu par l’EFSA a organisé les 28-29 novembre 2022 une conférence scientifique internationale sur « La durabilité et l’innovation dans le secteur agroalimentaire européen » (European Agri-food sustainability and innovation).
Cette conférence a rassemblé des représentants du Parlement européen, de la Commission européenne, de l’Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments (EFSA), de l’USDA, des États membres, des ONG, des experts scientifiques d’universités tchèques et autres ainsi que le président de l’OCVV.
La commissaire à la santé Stella Kyriakides a fait un discours d’introduction, dans lequel elle a laissé échapper quelques pistes quand au contenu de la future proposition législative « concernant les nouvelles techniques génomiques, telles que la mutagénèse ciblée ou la cisgénèse ». (Pour plus de détails, voir ICI)
Extraits :
« On 14 September, President von der Leyen announced that a legislative proposal on plants produced by certain new genomic techniques would feature among the Commission’s key new initiatives for 2023.
Accordingly, we aim to present a legislative proposal next spring that will:
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put more tools in the toolbox for plant breeders and farmers;
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deliver on sustainability objectives; and
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maintain high safety standards.
There’s a good deal of evidence available to us showing that plants produced by new genomic techniques have the potential to support sustainability ambitions.
The product development pipeline includes a wide variety of cereals, fruit and vegetables with properties that can bring benefits.
Let me give you some examples:
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wheat with reduced gluten content can benefit health,
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virus-resistant sugar beet needing fewer insecticides can be good for the environment,
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rice tolerant to drought and salt can help withstand climate change, and
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wheat with increased protein content and grain size, leading to higher yields and less need for agricultural land, can boost food security.
Friends,
The strength of the EU in addressing challenges related to food security and climate change lies in its diversity.
We have what it takes to make organic, agro-ecology and biotech work alongside each other in achieving our ambitious aims.
But let me also say this to you, in the clearest possible terms: in our forthcoming proposal, protecting human health, animal health and the environment’s health remains of paramount importance.
The Commission is committed to tabling a legal proposal that is underpinned by EFSA’s much-valued scientific work, and by a thorough analysis of impacts and all stakeholder contributions.
It should provide a robust basis for the inter-institutional negotiations with Member States and the European Parliament on the possible adoption of new EU legislation.
We look to each and every one of you, over the coming months, to engage in an open and constructive debate on this and all other important issues around our shared desire to give our food system a truly sustainable future. »
Lien vers le discours ICI