Field trials and tribulations-making sense of the regulations for experimental field trials of transgenic crops in Europe.

Agricultural biotechnology is bypassing Europe. Vocal European activists have taken it upon themselves to deprive that continent of a valuable technology that benefits growers, consumers, the environment, and biodiversity. This article provides an articulate and somewhat depressing description of the complexity involved in one important phase in developing biotechnology solutions for agricultural problems – that is field testing. Field testing is not only important, it is critical and essential to the process, yet the national and regional regulations are beyond burdensome. The authors paint the overall European picture and then describe country-based case studies for Spain, Germany, the UK and Belgium.

The data these authors present show the striking differences in acceptance of these technologies in the US vs. the EU. In over 20 years, more than 15,000 field trials have been conducted in the US in comparison to less than 2600 in the EU. In 1997 the number peaked at 264 vs. only 44 (with 25 in Spain, alone) in 2011. The description of the increased regulations and the impact on the number of field trials destroyed is shocking. The authors conclude "the present system for GM field trial notifications in the EU is haphazard, unbalanced and overly complex, strongly discouraging investment." All this despite the fact that "there has never been any negative environmental impact reported from any GM field trial carried out in the EU." Two additional statements are worth quoting here: 1) "the EU public is not generally against biotechnology" and 2) "the freedom of the scientific community to present its case is being curtailed, thus preventing the fair and balanced discussion of issues lying at the heart of the debate, whose rational and rigorous investigation is in the best interests of all parties involved." I would recommend reading this article and then wonder why anyone would even want to try and navigate the hurdles that have been imposed.