| | 24/February/25
| | Civil society groups warn new Asilomar conference: Scientists must not be allowed to self-regulate In an open statement, civil society groups, scientists, and academics are challenging the democratic legitimacy of any conclusions or policy proposals that may arise from the 2025 Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology conference currently running from 23-26 February at Asilomar, California. The statement, which is currently signed by 49 organisations (including GMWatch) and 41 individuals from across the globe, says, “We are at a point in human history when technological developments, including genetic engineering, bioweapons, virological research, synthetic biology and other technologies, carry existential threats to health, the environment, the economy and human society. Questions about how to regulate, restrict, or prohibit these technologies to reduce risk require broad-based, open, transparent and honest debate involving all sectors of society.” GMWatch New GMOs: Blocking minority holds firm in EU test vote After months of deadlock on the new GMOs deregulation file, a test vote by EU attachés on 21 February confirmed a continued blocking minority, despite multiple compromise attempts by the Polish EU presidency on the controversial patent issue. Friends of the Earth Europe welcomes this opposition and urges more Member States to reject the deregulation proposal. Mute Schimpf, food campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe, commented: "This Commission has made it clear it prefers putting corporate interests ahead of nature and citizens’ best interest. Deregulating new GMOs won’t benefit Europe - farmers, consumers, and the environment will pay the price just to please Bayer and its merry corporate friends. Instead of wasting time, we should be bringing researchers, farmers, and experts together to make farming genuinely resilient to extreme weather and better protect nature.” GMWatch We hope you’ve found this newsletter interesting. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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