The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and U.S. Grains Council (USGC) held meetings in Brussels, Belgium last week to discuss the delays in approvals for soybean and corn biotech events in the EU. They highlighted the need for a predictable, transparent, and science-based regulatory system in the EU.

Jim Miller, USSEC Vice Chairman, and Dean Taylor, leader of the USGC Biotechnology Advisory Team, shared their experiences in using biotechnology and other modern technologies. They explained how these technologies have helped them achieve economic and environmental sustainability. They engaged with European stakeholders and stated that they will continue to use the biotech events approved in the U.S. and other key markets with workable and functioning regulatory systems.

According to the news release of USSEC, the meetings with the European Commission departments covering agriculture, trade, health were done not to seek change in the EU's biotech approval laws and regulations. USSEC and USGC were merely asking for improvements in the EU approval system to make it in line with EU-legislated timelines as well as a more practical approach to situations of low-level presence of yet-unapproved traits in grain shipments to the EU.

Read the news release from USSEC.