Swedish Starch industry pleased with European Commission's positive conclusion on the use of CRISPR

On 29 April 2021, the European Commission published a study into new genomic techniques and the consequences of the European Court of Justice's July 2018 judgment, which essentially made it impossible to continue the development of the new techniques within the EU.

The report concludes that the Nobel prize-awarded CRISPR technique is an important tool for the future of sustainable food systems and that our current GMO legislation must be modernized. The next step is a study of how the new legislation should be designed.

Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter förening u.p.a. takes a very positive view of this conclusion from the European Commission's study, and of the fresh optimism that it will now potentially be possible to use the CRISPR technique.

The EU Commission's position means Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter will now be able to commercialize the efforts it has made in this field within the EU.

Hans Berggren, CEO of Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter, förening u.p.a.:
 

“We have invested considerable resources in the CRISPR technique because we see the opportunity to develop future climate-smart food products.”

“The judgment issued by the EU court in July 2018 was a setback for us, but we have continued to believe in a future where it would also be possible to use these techniques within the EU. The report from the EU Commission is important, and we're very optimistic about this development.”

Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter began its drive to use the CRISPR technique to develop new, climate-smart varieties of seed potatoes in 2014. The new varieties are now being cultivated for the second year and preparations are being made to move on to the commercialization of new starch products.

Hans Berggren:
 

“We won't merely be offering our customers new, climate-smart products – we'll also be reinforcing our competitiveness and increasing profitability for ourselves, our business partners, and our customers, who will gain access to a starch that increases the value of their products.”

In 2020, together with researchers and SLU Holding, Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter formed the start-up company SolEdits AB. The company's business concept is to expand the use of CRISPR to develop new potato varieties and to make the technique available to all interested parties in the potato business.