GMO-Free Europe Conference ’23

7 September 2023, 15–18h, European Parliament, Brussels

Hosted by the Greens/EFA group, the 10^th GMO-Free Europe Conference will take place on Thursday 7^th of September (15-18h) at the European Parliament, in room Paul-Henri Spaak 7C50. Interpretation provided in FR, DE, IT, ES and PL.

The European Union is on the verge of a paradigm shift regarding its approach towards the so-called new genetic engineering in agriculture. In July 2023, the European Commission presented its legislative proposal on New Genomic Techniques. The proposal foresees that some genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products would no longer be labelled, traceable and individually risk-assessed.

As the Council and the European Parliament start working on this proposal, at the GMO Free Europe conference we will examine and discuss its potential impact on environmental protection, agricultural practices, food markets, farmers and consumers rights. We invite politicians, scientists, farmers, NGOs, businesses and institutions to join this exchange of views. You can register here.

Agenda

INTRODUCTION

with

Benny Haerlin, Save Our Seeds, Moderator

Sarah Wiener, MEP

Leonore Gewessler, Environment Minister Austria

Anka Dobslaw, Environment Sec. of State Lower Saxony

Short and diverse contributions from regions of Europe

PANEL 1  –  A new narrative about GMOs – science and precaution

with

Ricarda Steinbrecher, ENSSER

Margret Engelhard, BfN, Germany

Christophe Clergeau, MEP

Magda Stoczkiewicz, Greenpeace, European Unit

Pat Thomas, “Beyond GM / A bigger conversation”

PANEL 2  –  Transparency: labelling and traceability

with

Michelle Habets, Rathenau Institute

Erica Ollson, organic farmer from Sweden

Tilly Metz, MEP

PANEL 3  –  Impact on food and agricultural systems

with

Corinne Lepage, former Minister and MEP, France

Bernard Lignon, IFOAM Organics Europe, Synabio

Martin Häusling, MEP

Isabel Sommer, Swiss GMO Free Alliance