The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament has released a draft report on Biotechnology: Prospects and challenges for agriculture in Europe. It notes that modern biotechnology is one of the leading new technologies that has huge economic, commercial, social and environmental implications in Europe and globally and hence, notes that it should, among others to:

• Encourage efforts to develop biotechnology in the European Union to contribute to economic viability and environmental sustainability of agriculture
• Acknowledge biotech’s real opportunities in various fields
• Expect in the future an increased variety of better and healthier food and feedstuffs produced under varying climatic and environmental conditions
• Call on the Commission to establish a high level group of the Commission, Council and European Parliament and to plan a strategy on biotechnology for agriculture in the EU.

The report further details what has to be done in terms of legislative framework, research and development, and in responding to public concerns.

Read the report at http://www.europabio.org/ne_230107.htm.