The precautionary principle: A wall against progress.

Biological handling technologies, which are becoming more and more efficient,

have allowed the implementation of many GMOs. We could see in it the future of

the food industry, allowing to face many challenges, but the European Union is

slowing down this progress, in particular by using the precautionary principle. Is

the precautionary principle a constructive way to approach the issue of GM crops?

Three documents released in the year 2013 in the UK press (The Guardian, BBC

News, YouGov) all focus on the GM foods and crops, the fourth document, also

from the Guardian, focuses mainly on the precautionary principle.

The precautionary principle first comes from a fear of the side effects. There have

been decades of research leading to disappointing results. Thus, it is therefore

legitimate to think about the usefulness of these investments. As mentioned by the

Friends of the Earth in the BBC news, the development of GM crops is not directly

facing the issues of the food production system. It would then seem wise to redirect

these funds into more immediate measures to tackle the challenge of the food

system, and not focus on GM crops when on the one hand millions of people are

suffering from famine, and on the other hand, millions are suffering from obesity.

Besides, transgenic agriculture is useful only if it is well controlled, which is

difficult due to the domination of none ethical corporations, reports The Guardian.

But the precautionary principle also undermines progress in GM field. As

mentioned by Tracey Brown in The Guardian, it does not require knowledge and
makes easier to oppose something, there force explaining the fact that 40% of UK

population is against the GM technology on the YouGov graph. The EU politicians

going in the direction of the population, that explains the fact that the debate on

GM crops is becoming a debate of value and no longer of evidence. The European

Union, by applying the precautionary principle, undermine the process of

regulation by overlooking the positive aspects of GM crops and making the

regulation process costs expensive, in the order of 150 million dollars points out

the BBC news.

The harmful consequences of this way of thinking are multiples: Europe is left

behind by missing many opportunities due to the regulation. In the meantime,

countries all over the world use transgenic food, already 12% of the crops are GM

crops, but only one GM crop has been grown commercially in the European Union

report both The BBC News and The Guardian. Moreover, people who use the

precautionary process tend to avoid their responsibility, the blight-blight resistant

potatoes, who both The BBC and The Guardian mentioned, highlights this trend,

pushing UK farmers to lose 500£ every season. Economically and environmentally

speaking, GM crops are worth the effort in a competitive world. Furthermore, the

utility of GM crops has already been demonstrated in India in the 1950s, saving

millions of lives points out The Guardian.

The precautionary principle is right to exist when dealing with the subject of GMO

crops representing a risk, however, it should not take priority over clear scientific

evidence and should be followed by real action.