Introduction
The Genome editing is a revolutionary technology and whose significance has been recognized with the awarding of the Nobel Prize to its discoverers. Its application to crop improvement transcends the scope of research.
The decision of the Court of Justice of the EU Subjecting plants improved by genome editing to the complicated and costly European regulation on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) places this technology outside the usual scope of obtaining and registering plant varieties.
This would mean a hard blow to the expectations and promises that genetic editing offers for the sustainability and competitiveness of a sector like the agri-food, which is so important in our country.
The numerous reactions to this ruling have led to the EU to carry out a study on its importance and impact within the Union. This study, presented on April 29, points out that there are “strong indications that the current legislation -GMO- is not suitable for genome editing techniques and their products, and that therefore the legislation must adapt to scientific and technological progress.”
Following the presentation of that study, member states will have the opportunity to propose legislative changes that allow deregulating some types of genome editing, thus correcting the negative consequences that the application of excessively restrictive regulation would have.
Goals
- Review the state of the art of genome editing and its application to agriculture
- Discuss and study the social, economic and sustainability consequences derived from the implementation of a more restrictive/permissive regulation
To do this, the ethical, legal and competitive derivatives will be analyzed by experts in different disciplines, including representatives from the fields of research, business, economics and bioethics.
The symposium will be organized in two sessions, a technical-scientific and another to present and discuss the legal, ethical and socioeconomic aspects.
Program
11:00 a.m. Welcome and opening.
- Toni Granell. IBMCP (CSIC-UPV)
- Pedro Mier. President of the R&D&I Commission. CEOE
- Pedro Duque. Minister of Science and Innovation. Ministry of Science and Innovation
11:30 a.m. Genome editing, a revolutionary technology in agriculture and plant biotechnology.
Moderator: Antonio Granell. IBMCP (CSIC-UPV)
- Francis Mojica. Alicante University
- Lluis Montoliu. CNB-CSIC
- Francisco Barro. IAS-CSIC
- Diego Orzaez. IBMCP (CSIC-UPV)
- Pere Puigdomènech. CRAG (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB)
12:10 p.m. Round table
12:40 p.m. Genome editing of crops: legal, ethical, economic aspects.
Moderators: Gonzaga Ruiz de Gauna. BIOVEGEN / Felipe Palau. UPV
- Ana Judith Martín de la Fuente. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA)
- Leire Escajedo San-Epifanio. University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU)
- Antonio Villarroel. ANOVE
- César González. EUROSEEDS
- Gabino Sánchez. HUDSON RIVER BIOTECHNOLOGY
- Pilar Iñiguez. University of Alicante (UA)
1:30 p.m. Round table and questions
2:00 p.m. Conclusions and closing
- José Antonio Sobrino. General Subdirectorate of Agricultural Production Means and Spanish Office of Plant Varieties. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Gonzaga Ruiz de Gauna. BIOVEGEN
English 
Spanish