Consequences, Opportunities and Challenges of Modern Biotechnology for Europe

Modern biotechnology products and processes are an integral part of the EU economy, mainly in manufacturing, including pharmaceuticals, agro-food and healthcare. While some products are not recognizable to the broader public (e.g. the use of genetic markers in livestock breeding), others are used on a daily basis (detergents with enzymes, recombinant insulin) or have become subject of public discussion (e.g. genetically modified crops). Modern bioetchnology contributes significantly to the achievement of major EU policy objectives.