The moratorium on genetic engineering in Switzerland will be extended by five years. (archive picture)
Keystone
Parliament wants more time to discuss how to deal with new genetic engineering methods. It wants the moratorium on the cultivation of genetically modified organisms, which has been in place since 2005, to remain in force until the end of 2030.
On Thursday, the Council of States agreed to extend the moratorium by five years. The small chamber made its decision in the overall vote with no votes against and two abstentions. The National Council had already approved the extension of the moratorium with a clear majority in the spring session.
The current moratorium is valid until the end of the current year. The bill was drafted by the National Council’s Committee for Science, Education and Culture (WBK-N) on the basis of a parliamentary initiative. It originally wanted the moratorium to be extended until the end of 2027.
However, the Federal Council argued for a longer period of five years, which both chambers have now also agreed to.