Enhancing Public Participation in GMO Decision-Making by European NGOs

1. PublicParticipationofNGOsindecision-makingregardingGMOs

2. GENET - European NGO Network on Genetic Engineering: 44 members in 24 countries • Mission: • to provide information on gene technologies and related topics to member NGOs and the interested public • facilitate the involvement of members and interested public in decision-making processes which must guide the development of these technologies • Views on Public Participation • Questionaires and interviews to member NGOs • Informal discussions

3. Participatorytoolsavailable to NGOs • Invitedconsultations • frequentlyasked to contribute to consultations • rarely to stakeholderforumsand dialogues • Uninvitedparticipation • lobbyinggovernmentat local, nationalandinternationallevel • press/media campaigns • consumers’ campaigns • legal challengesand court battles

4. Feedback onparticipatoryexperiences • Nationalpraticesandexperiencesvary, butnstitutionalisedparticipatory processes are perceivedbymany as a badinvestmentoftheirtimeandresources • Ofteninvitedonly as observeror to agreeordisagreewithresearchersandpolicymakersbutnot to debate therootoftheissuesorbeinvolvedinthescientificprocess • Notenoughtimeprovided for a properreply (e.g. e-consultations) ornot a goodenoughnoticeoftheevent • No consideration for thesituationoftheinvitedNGOsthatdon’tallowparticipationonmeetingsorquick responses to consultations • No consideration for the inputs providedorjustificationwhyon final reports • No effectontrajectoryofdecisionsandpolicydevelopments

5. Feedback onparticipatoryexperiences • Alsothemost important decision-making takes place on the EU level • and only a few NGOs based in Brussels have opportunity to • participate • e.g.: insatisfactionwithhow EFSA formulates its opinions - lack of civil society participation vs. known ties of some members to the industry • While there have been some improvements, most of the consultations • happen in a written form and there is little chance for direct participation • Public participation is often hindered by the lack of access to information - • NGOs and individuals need to invest a lot of energy getting hold of that • information that should be available in the first place

6. NGOspreferotherwaysofpublicparticipation • Widespreadfeelingthatthey’vebeeninvited to beeducatedinto a pre-determinedoutcomeorjust as pro forma •  Uninvitedparticipationisthepreferedoption for mostNGOs • presswork / mobilizinga largerpublic / changingthemarket / producingmaterialsontimesinwhichthey’llbemeaningful for policyworkers / supportandproduceindependentresearch • Many NGOS withdrawfrominstitutionalizedparticipationeither to • make a pointoras a prioritizationoftimeandresourceinvestmenton • more effectivemethods

7. Rootsoftheproblems • Participatoryexercisesaboutrisksandbenefitsbutnever to questiontheneed for thetechnologyinitself • Separationofsciencefromits social context • Framingscience as objective and social, ethicalandpoliticalconcerns as subjective andthereforenotfitfor the base ofdecision-making • “Deficit model” whichconsidersthepublic as inherentlyignorantonscientificissuesexcludingitfrom debate • Lackofpoliticalwill: scienceandtechnologyseen as competitivenesstoolsandpublicconcerns as obstaclesinsteadof a base to guidescienceandtechnologydvelopments • Lackofcapacityofinstitutionswhopromoteconsultations to takeupthe inputs received • Timelyaccess to information, effective public participation and affordable access to justice not yet widely recognized as "rights“

8. WhatNGOshope for a betterpublicparticipation • - Participationfor all • Everyoneshouldbeable to participateat some level • Participationfromtheverybeginning • atthelevelofdecidingifsocietywants/requires a certaintechnology • Researchresponsive to society’sneeds • publicfunds for scienceinaccordancewithpublicinterests • Creationofspaces/places for participation • Real dialogue • twowayexchangeandgenuineinterestinlisteningtheotherside • no pointinconsultationsthat are designed to get a particular answer • Provisionofresources for NGOs to participateatconsultations, publichearings • equalityissue: NGOsdon’thavetheresourcesotherinterestgroupshave to investonparticipatoryprocesses • Access to informationfreeofobstaclessoeffortscangointoparticipation

9. THANK YOU www.genet-info.org