Almost 25,000 signatures for an extended moratorium on genetic engineering
Published: Thursday, Jun 27th 2024, 12:40
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The moratorium on genetic engineering that has been in place since 2005 is to be extended for a fifth time. This is the demand of a petition that has been submitted in Bern with 24,780 signatures. The authors want a transitional arrangement until the planned food protection initiative is implemented.
This petition, which is to be launched in the fall, demands strict rules for genetic engineering, according to a press release issued on Thursday. The petition is backed by the Association for GMO-free Food. According to the initiators, the moratorium on genetic engineering is expected to expire at the end of 2025.
Genetic engineering companies put pressure on parliament and the Federal Council to lift the moratorium. Due to the moratorium, genetically modified organisms may currently only be cultivated in Switzerland for research purposes.
However, a relaxation is on the cards: Parliament instructed the Federal Council in 2022 to present rules on how genetically modified organisms without foreign genetic material can be exempted from the moratorium. However, this only applies if they have added value for all parties compared to conventional breeding methods.
In autumn 2023, the Federal Council therefore expressed its intention to proceed cautiously with any risk-based approval. It wants to take the concerns of the public into account.
The Food Protection Initiative demands freedom of choice for consumers and the protection of humans, animals and the environment from the risks of genetic engineering. The genetic engineering moratorium, which has been extended four times to date, is to be extended until the planned amendment to the constitution comes into force.
©Keystone/SDA
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