Good Regulation Imperative for Continued Innovation and More Sustainable Agriculture
Today’s (May 17) European General Court ruling is disappointing. Syngenta stands by the past decision to challenge the European Commission’s decision-making process concerning our thiamethoxam technology, as it relied on a hypothetical risk to implement partial restrictions on neonicotinoid chemistries, outside legally approved regulation.
Predictable regulatory frameworks and their consistent application by regulators enable companies like Syngenta to innovate and thus support European farmers and ultimately European consumers with locally produced, safe and affordable food.
The handling of this specific case reflects our more general concern at the approach the European Commission is taking to regulating technology in agriculture. The evolution of modern farming technology and responsible, science-based environmental management is imperative if we are to sustainably produce affordable, safe and local food to feed more than 9 billion people by 2050 and take care of our planet. Predictable, transparent and science-based regulation must lie at the center of meeting this challenge. Scientific and regulatory excellence in Europe has increasingly become politicized. This has negatively affected all interested parties and above all, has damaged consumer trust.
Looking forward, today’s ruling must be seen as an opportunity to build stronger foundations for transparent dialogue and scientific understanding with European regulators and all other stakeholders. Syngenta wants to send a clear message that scientific innovation is in our view the only effective way to address the joint challenges of achieving food security and protecting the environment.
Syngenta remains committed to innovating, within a reliable regulatory framework, in order to help EU agriculture become more sustainable while ensuring the financial security of EU farmers.
