The successful creation of functional new-to-nature viruses designed by artificial intelligence has prompted renewed calls for stronger oversight of synthetic biology and AI-enabled genome design. In the EU, meanwhile, discussions are focussed on preventing the malicious misuse of biotechnology, while paying little attention to the biosafety questions raised by increasingly capable AI genome design tools.
National GMO coexistence rules still apply to all genetically modified (GM) plants, including those deregulated under new EU laws, a new legal opinion shows. This is because the EU has never exhaustively regulated these areas, also not in its latest Regulation (EU) 2006/1388 on plants derived from “new genomic techniques” (NGT). The German federal ministry of agriculture disputes this finding,…
Artificial intelligence is no longer just transforming apps, office work, or search engines. It is increasingly beginning to reshape agriculture, food systems, biology, labour, and even living organisms themselves. Yet these developments are rarely discussed together. This event series, hosted by Save Our Seeds together with people from the AI, science, environmental and civil society communities, creates space for exactly these conversations.
Following today’s vote in the European Parliament, there will no longer be any specific safety assessments, labelling requirements for food and feed, or traceability in the environment for most genetically modified crops. This failure of democratic discourse on technology undermines the credibility of organised science and the already limited trust in the integrity of politics.
The European Parliament today voted to endorse the outcome of trilogue negotiations on the EU’s proposed legislation for genetically modified plants developed using so-called new genomic techniques (NGTs). Under the new rules, many plants engineered with gene editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas will fall outside EU GMO law, meaning requirements for environmental risk assessment, traceability measures and consumer labelling will no longer apply.
A plenary vote scheduled for 19 May has been postponed after MEPs tabled 37 amendments to the compromise deal hammered out between negotiators from Parliament, Council and Commission in December. The delay gives NGOs, businesses and citizens more time to pressure MEPs to improve the deal.
On 21 April, the Council of Ministers formally adopted the outcome of trilogue negotiations on the EU’s proposed new legislation for genetically modified plants developed with so-called new genomic techniques (NGTs). Save Our Seeds is calling on European citizens to urge their Members of the European Parliament to reject the bill.
At the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) narrowly voted against a “precautionary deferment” of the release of genetically engineered wild species into natural ecosystems. However, a slim majority of IUCN members supported a call for “additional precautionary safeguards” on such releases. The Congress exposed deep divisions within the conservation community over whether genetically engineered wild organisms should be released into nature.
At the IUCN World Congress starting tomorrow, 9 October, delegates will be asked to vote on a motion calling for a moratorium on genetically engineered wild species. The decision will test whether IUCN upholds the Precautionary Principle and demonstrates leadership in protecting and restoring nature – or whether it opens the door to experimental technologies that risk undermining conservation efforts and eroding public trust.
The government of Burkina Faso has ordered the immediate halt of the Target Malaria initiative operating in the country. Target Malaria had just begun its second field trial with genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes, aiming to gain knowledge and experience before moving toward the release of GM mosquitoes with gene drives at a later stage.