Austria: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
Austria continues to be one of the leading forces in Europe opposed to the use of agricultural biotechnology. Austria was an initiator and always a supporter of the opt-out option for cultivation of biotech crops. A draft of the Austrian implementation of a nation-wide biotech cultivation ban (according to EU directive 2015/412) has recently passed the Austrian Council of Ministers. Austrian opposition to biotech crops is a major controversial factor during the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP). All major political parties have enshrined anti-biotech policies. NGOs and farmer organizations, the food-processing sector, and the retail sector all have marketing campaigns promoting GMO-free foods. Furthermore, Austria is promoting the local production of non-biotech soybeans in the Danube region.
