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3 May 1993
Doc. 6821
OPINION
on developments in biotechnology and
the consequences for agriculture 1
(Rapporteur : Mr Jack THOMPSON,
United Kingdom, Labour)
I. Introduction
1. The Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities welcomes the report submitted by the Committee on Agriculture focusing on issues of a high degree of importance which are the source of a great potential for improving the conditions of human life but, at the same time, represent a threat to the same values when badly managed or misused.
2. The committee has particularly paid attention to biodiversity conservation, use of achievements of biotechnological developments for the benefit of the environment and protection against abuse or/and hazardous use of biotechnology, considering that these aforestated problems have a direct impact on the ecological situation.
II. Biodiversity conservation
3. The committee strongly supports the appeal to pay continued attention to retaining genetic diversity, which could be threatened by a switch of interest to a number of homogenised species seemingly sufficient to satisfy human needs. This state of affairs could lead to varieties considered not so attractive from the point of view of genetic recombination and future "utility" being abandoned.
4. On the other hand, due regard must be paid to the conservation of existing ecosystems especially in relation to the potential risks of introducing new genetically modified organisms into the natural environment, which are very likely to upset the major balances of the ecosystems.
5. Having regard to the above-mentioned reasons, the committee gives priority to research of existing natural biodiversity and sustained exploitation of these resources.
6. The committee underlines the role of the "Biological Diversity Convention" concluded in Rio de Janeiro at the occasion of the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development which requires countries to adopt regulations to conserve biological resources and calls for technical support and transfer of technologies to the developing countries, as well as for compensation of the latter for the extraction of genetic materials.
7. In this context the committee supports the proposal that an international fund for plant genetic resources be set up with a view to exploiting rationally the world's genetic diversity while protecting developing countries resources.
III. Using achievements of biotechnological development for the benefit of the environment
8. The committee would like to draw attention to the use of biotechnology in areas where it can contribute to the protection and improvement of the state of the environment, especially when it comes to applications of biotechnology to wood and biomass for energy, treatment of wastes and fabrication of organic fuel. The necessity of further research in this direction is imperative, bearing in mind the urgent need to introduce effective methods for dealing with the waste problem as well as to develop alternative sources of energy.
9. The role of biotechnology is especially important in the field of soil conservation since the application of biotechnology methods can contribute to increasing productivity in agriculture thus preventing further spread of intensive farming.
IV. Consequences of biotechnology applications in stockbreeding
10. Livestock has always formed an important part of European agriculture and the breeding of animals has been closely connected with the development of communities and regions. As genetic engineering technologies applied to animals have an important socio-economic and environmental impact, legislation and administrative regulations have to consider the cultural relationship between people, regions and animals for farming purposes and establish a "case by case" procedure to avoid irreversible development.
11. Food containing genetically engineered substances has to be labelled accordingly so that consumers get information about its contents and its correct use.
V. Protection against abusive and/or hazardous use of biotechnology
12. Bearing in mind the potential consequences of biotechnological development for human beings and the environment in general, the committee considers that a strict control under the authority of national institutions should be exercised in this area and that international co-operation should be developed among these organs.
13. As far as the legislation on biotechnology is concerned the committee supports the idea of European harmonisation in this field as well as the proposal to draw up a European convention covering the bio-ethical aspects of biotechnology. In this respect the committee appreciates the activities of the European Community as well as the Committee of Ministers's recommendation on the potential ecological impact of the contained use and deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (Recommendation R (92) 9).
14. The committee underlines the importance of public education and information concerning the development of biotechnology and notably the importance of seminars organised with the participation of parliamentarians and public servants. The role of opportune labelling of products should be highlighted as well.
15. Last but not least, the committee draws attention to the treatment of animals being used for biotechnological experiments and insists that ethical norms be observed in this respect.
Reporting committee: Committee on Agriculture (Doc. 6780)
Committee for opinion: Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities
Reference to committee: Doc. 6321 and Reference No. 1702 of 22 November 1990
Opinion approved by the committee on 26 April 1993
Secretaries to the committee: Mrs Cagnolati-Staveris and Mr Sich