Green biotechnology and European competitiveness

Europe has led many aspects of gene research and yet it has been unable to translate these discoveries into a globally dominant industrial sector. There are valid societal, political and financial reasons for its reluctance to deploy agricultural biotechnology but this reluctance might have unintended consequences. It will be hard to de-commoditize agriculture and improve farmerʹs lives. Research in medical biotechnology and the global environment might suffer. Europe could damage its overall economy and its global competitive standing.