The Government has approved the Regulation on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with traditional and organic crops
The document transposes the recommendation of the European Commission to develop national coexistence measures to avoid the accidental presence of GMOs in non-genetically modified crops. This will ensure the protection of agricultural diversity and the rights of farmers. The regulation sets strict requirements for the cultivation, care, harvesting, storage and transportation of genetically modified crops in order to prevent unintentional contamination of conventional and organic crops. In addition, it introduces clear rules for monitoring and controlling the process, ensuring that authorities and farmers engaged in conventional or organic agriculture are duly informed of the intention of certain farmers to grow genetically modified crops. It also sets a minimum isolation distance between genetically modified and traditional crops and regulates the periods of crop rotation of non-modified crops after the cultivation of genetically modified ones. For example, for sugar beet the minimum distance is 50 meters, for sunflowers - 1 km, for rapeseed - 4 km, etc. The provisions will apply to all agricultural, horticultural or ornamental agricultural crops whose genetic material has been modified. The regulation will enter into force 6 months after publication in the Official Monitor.//25.09.2024 – InfoMarket.
