Browse Data and Analysis

Climate change is an increasing challenge for Austrian agriculture and Austrian agricultural policy. The Austrian government tries to counteract the adverse effects of the climate change through specific climate protection programs and measures.

On January 24, 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) issued Guidelines for Safety Evaluation of Gene-Edited Plants for Agricultural Use (Trial), which for the first time establish application procedures and requirements for gene-edited plants.

On January 18, 2022, the European Commission launched a public consultation on biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics. Stakeholders have until March 15, 2022, to comment.

On January 10, 2022, the King of the Netherlands swore in the new Dutch Cabinet of twenty Ministers and nine State Secretaries. The new Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is Henk Staghouwer. He is member of the Christian Union (CU), a protestant party, with a left wing orientation on environmental issues.

On January 7, 2022, the Turkish Government published Biosafety Decisions on the import of genetically engineered (GE) soybean and corn events. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MinAF) approved one new soybean event and one new corn event for feed and cancelled the approvals of two corn events which expired on 12/24/2021.

On December 27, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of new and renewed biosafety certificates for genetically engineered (GE) events.

The Government of Argentina (GOA) approved three new Genetically Engineered (GE) events in 2021 (two corn events and one alfalfa).

From January 1, 2021, the UK has been responsible for authorizing products of genetic engineering (GE) using retained EU law. Nine GE crops are currently out for public consultation as part of the new UK approval process, with a similar number still pending.

The European Union’s (EU) complex and lengthy policy framework for biotechnology creates a challenging environment for research and limits access to innovative tools for EU farmers.

In March 2021, the Government of Canada published guidance on how Canada’s Novel Food Regulations are applied to products of plant breeding.

Mexico has not reported any official biotechnology food or feed products approvals since May 2018. Additionally, Mexico has rejected or delayed all permit applications for cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) cotton in 2019, citing the precautionary principle.

Panama did not make any policy changes regulating Genetically Engineered (GE) plants, seeds and animals (including for GE microbes) in 2021. Panama has not established the implementing regulations of Law 48 of 2002, which created the National Commission of Biosafety for Genetically Modified Organisms.