European Group on Ethics (EGE) Asks European Commission to Embed Ethical Principles in Agriculture Policies

Following a request from President Barroso, the EGE adopted in December an opinion on the ethical implications of modern developments in agriculture technologies, in order to address the new challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for EU agriculture.

22/01/09 The European Group on Ethics (EGE) has met with Mariann Fischer Boel, the Commissioner responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development to present the main recommendations of the Group's opinion on the ethical implications of modern developments in agriculture technologies.

Following a request from President Barroso, the EGE adopted in December an opinion on the ethical implications of modern developments in agriculture technologies, in order to address the new challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for EU agriculture. The group decided to focus primarily on agriculture technologies and methods for primary production of food of plant origin.

In this opinion the EGE shows its awareness for the need for promoting innovation in agriculture in order to be able to feed the growing world population. It adds that technologies alone cannot provide final solutions to the challenges modern agriculture is facing in the EU and worldwide.

The Group emphasises the need for an integrated view and an integrated approach on agriculture technologies so that the production, storage and distribution processes are considered together when the implications of any new technology is assessed ethically. The goals of food security, food safety and sustainability are considered to be the first priorities and guiding principles to which any technology in agriculture must adhere.

Using this ethical framework as a point of departure, the EGE also makes recommendations on a plethora of issues, such as: revision of EU Common Agriculture Policy, technology impact assessment of agricultural technologies; the right to food; Sustainability of agriculture technologies; Food safety; Agricultural biodiversity; Soil and water protection; Biofuels; GM crops; Research in agricultural sciences; policy-making in arable agriculture; Global trade in agricultural products; Intellectual Property Rights system; Fair competition and “vertical monopolies”; Food prices; Societal aspects; Public participation; Responsibility of EU citizens; Food waste etc.

The European Group on Ethics (EGE) is an independent, pluralist and multidisciplinary body, composed of fifteen experts appointed by the Commission to provide opinions on ethical issues.

The current revision of the EU Common Agriculture Policy, food security and safety, climate change and agricultural sustainability, global trade of agricultural commodities are all issues that have drawn the attention of media, policy makers and civil society in the last few years. According to the latest FAO report published early in December 2008, 963 million people are suffering hunger in the world in 2008, 40 million people more than in 2007, as consequence of higher food prices.

The ongoing financial and economic crisis could drive even more people into hunger and poverty. There is therefore a passionate debate on how to face these challenges and a high expectation exist that new technologies in agriculture may contribute to solve this problem.

In order to address the new challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for EU agriculture, President Barroso asked the EGE to give its advice on the ethical implications of modern developments in agriculture technologies. The Group accepted this difficult task and decided to focus primarily on agriculture technologies and methods for primary production of food of plant origin. The Opinion was adopted on December 17, 2008, by unanimity. In this Opinion the EGE develops an ethical framework for modern developments in agriculture technologies.