The debate about the use of new breeding technologies such as CRISPR/Cas is also gaining momentum in Germany.
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The EU Commission has announced a proposal for a reassessment of breeding technologies for June. The main question is whether the use of these new breeding technologies should remain subject to the strict regulations of genetic engineering law or whether these regulations should be relaxed in order to accelerate breeding progress and, using this technology, enable Europe to keep pace with international competition. Agricultural newspapers, most recently TopAgrar in issue 5/2023, p. 66 ff., are debating this issue controversially: Proponents, generally from the agricultural industry, argue that food security, despite climate change, can only be achieved with the help of new breeding techniques. Transparency is important to engage consumers. Critics, in contrast, primarily representatives of organic farming, do not see the new breeding methods as a panacea, fear further dependence on large seed producers, and instead call for a strengthening of existing cultivation systems. Furthermore, without the new breeding methods, the EU internal market would be protected, which is a good goal in itself. Whether and, if so, how the EU Commission intends to strike a balance between modern technology and consumer confidence with regard to the new breeding technologies is questionable.
