Biotechnology Regulation and GMOs: Law, Technology and Public Contestations in Europe

This thoughtful book explores how EU law treats serious disagreements about the development and use of a radically new technology like genetic modification. Relevant EU laws are examined to analyze the room available, or possible, for public participation in the EU regulation of GMOs.

Since linkages between law, technology and public contestations could have a crucial dimension in the shaping of democratic societies, the space that EU law provides for publics (outside of the scientific experts who shape the regulation of GMOs) becomes significant. By examining the employment of the precautionary principle and (advice from) public bioethics committees in GMO regulation, this book examines the policy claim that public participation as a regulatory mechanism represents and mediates public contestations about the use and regulation of GMOs.

Biotechnology Regulation and GMOs will be of great interest to researchers, academics, students, policy advisors, decision-makers and other professionals involved in the fields of law, biotechnology, innovation systems, science and technology policy, as well as development. Federal regulators and industry representatives will also find much to interest them in this detailed study.

Contents: 1. Introduction 2. The EU Legal Framework for GMO Regulation 3. Risk, Science and Society 4. Precaution, Public Participation and Technocratic Responses 5. Participation in Safety and Public Morals Regulation Ambit in Global Rules 6. Public Contestations and Pursuit of Public Values Index