Hungary Will Not Support EU Proposals on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

The issue of genetic modification has again been raised in a European Parliament committee vote, said Fidesz MEP Csaba Dömötör in a Facebook post. The politician pointed out that the Hungarian constitution prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified crops and he does not support the proposals.

“This is not the first time that the grand coalition of the EPP and the Liberals have included the issue of genetic engineering in reports on agriculture in the European Parliament. This happened during today’s committee vote,” said Csaba Dömötör. The politician noted that the “grand coalition” supports the spread of such technologies, but the Constitution of Hungary (Fundamental Law) prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified crops.

We voted on two reports, one on the EU’s long-term budget and the other on water management. The text adopted by the grand coalition says that genetically modified technologies could also be a solution to water scarcity. “They also want more money from the EU budget to be spent on research into new genetic engineering techniques,” the MEP explained, and continued:

The Hungarian constitution clearly prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified crops. Therefore, we cannot and will not support proposals that promote the spread of genetic engineering.”

The website of the Ministry of Agriculture advocating GMO-free agriculture recalls that two genetically modified plants have so far been approved for cultivation in the EU: the genetically modified maize MON810 and the genetically modified potato Amflora.

The latter was withdrawn from the market after two years following a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union in a case brought and won by Hungary.

Both GM varieties are banned in Hungary, as is the cultivation of all other GM crops.

In 2006, the five parliamentary parties at the time agreed on a GMO-free strategy for Hungary. This strategy has remained unchanged since then, and the new Fundemantal Law that came into force on January 1, 2012, also sets the goal of making Hungarian agriculture free of genetically modified organisms, reads the website.

As they point out, there is a lack of long-term environmental impact studies, properly conducted toxicological studies, and feeding trials. Current knowledge would not be sufficient to realistically assess the environmental, health, social, and economic risks of GMOs, they note.

If these organisms enter the environment, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to monitor them and remove them from circulation,

warns the Ministry.

The GMO-free policy is based on scientific findings about the already known negative effects of certain GM plants, the Ministry points out. They add that future generations, environmental safety, and last but not least, the growing competitive advantage that GMO-free status gives Hungary on the market is worth considering.

Government Working on GMO-Free Agriculture