EU Deregulation of New GMOs: A Blow to Consumer Rights and Transparency

EU Member States voted in favour of deregulating new genetic techniques (NGTs), exempting them from essential labelling, safety assessments, and liability requirements. This decision, widely criticized by consumer organizations and environmental groups, poses a direct challenge to consumer rights and the fundamental principles of transparency and informed choice.

Consumer co-operatives across Europe have long been committed to upholding high food safety standards and ensuring that their members can make informed purchasing decisions. However, the deregulation of new GMOs will make it virtually impossible for retailers and consumers to distinguish between GMO and non-GMO products. Without clear labelling and traceability mechanisms, consumers lose their right to choose, and retailers are left without the necessary tools to ensure transparency in their supply chains. Furthermore, consumer co-operatives committed to providing GMO-free options may struggle to maintain their standards, as cross-contamination of supply chains becomes inevitable. Organic and non-GMO products, which many consumers actively seek, may no longer be reliably available, jeopardizing trust in food labels and undermining long-standing consumer preferences.

The deregulation also threatens seed diversity, as large agribusinesses tighten their control over seeds through patents. This risks not only reducing farmers’ and breeders’ access to diverse seeds essential for food security and climate adaptation but also driving up costs throughout the supply chain, ultimately impacting consumers through higher food prices and reduced product choice.

Euro Coop has recently joined forces with Greenpeace and other organizations in signing a Joint Statement on the Deregulation of New GMOs, urging European policymakers to protect small and medium-sized breeders, farmers, and the organic and non-GMO sectors from the risks posed by the proposed legal changes.

As the voice of consumer co-operatives in Europe, Euro Coop stands firm in defending the right to safe, transparent, and sustainable food systems. We call on European policymakers to reject the deregulation of new GMOs and ensure that all genetically modified plants remain subject to risk assessments, monitoring, labeling, and traceability. Euro Coop will continue to advocate for clear labelling and traceability requirements, working alongside consumer organizations, policymakers, and civil society to uphold the fundamental right of European consumers to know what is in their food.