European Group on Ethics asks European Commission to embed ethical principles in agriculture policies

A 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

by S. C.

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 has 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. According to the Opinion, the EGE is aware of the need of promoting innovation in agriculture but it is equally aware that technologies alone cannot provide final solutions to the challenges modern
agriculture is facing in the EU and worldwide. The Group however supports all technologies in agriculture insofar they are conducive to the goals and priorities indicated in this Opinion. The Group also 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 Group considers the goals of (1) food security, (2) food safety and (3) sustainability as first priorities and guiding principles to which any technology in agriculture must adhere. Therefore the Group recommends an integrated approach in agriculture, based on a system where its constituent units are balanced, not just at a technical level (where there is a continuous assessment of the balance between required input, e.g. resources, energy etc., and expected outcomes to assure its goals) but also at an ethical level (where members of society interact and act on the basis of commonly held values). The EGE calls for the explicit embedding of ethical principles in agriculture policy (whether traditional or innovative) and it argues that respect for human dignity and justice, two fundamental ethical principles, have to apply to production and distribution of food products too. Using this ethical framework as a point of departure, the EGE in this opinion 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.