The European Regulatory Framework of agro-food technologies over the last twenty years

The Community regulatory framework governing life sciences and biotechnologies has significantly evolved over the last twenty years, with major developments in recent times. This is now ruling over a wide spectrum of applications of genetic engineering, ranging from the health-cares to the agro-food sector, including the energies. Given the wide extent and the complexity of the issue, the present work will exclusively focused on the Community legislation regulating Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), including policies that the European Union Institutions adopted from time to time as well consumers attitudes towards such organisms. While the first part of this work will give a brief account of the earliest rules, the second part will develop more in detail the current legislative framework in force, outlining main improvements as well as weak points of norms.