Hungarian Environmental Groups Urge Péter Magyar to Oppose EU NGT Policies

Coalition Demands Government Action on NGT Regulation

The Greenpeace Magyarország, the Magyar Biokultúra Szövetség, and the Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége (MTVSZ) have formally requested that the Hungarian government oppose the European Union’s recent shift in policy regarding plants produced through new genomic techniques. The organizations argue that these techniques, often grouped under the NGT label, pose significant risks to both the environment and the integrity of the food supply chain.

At the core of their concern is the classification of these organisms. While the European Union’s new framework seeks to exempt certain NGT-1 category plants from existing stringent GMO-related safety assessments, labeling, and traceability requirements, the civil groups insist that these organisms remain genetically modified. They point to a 2018 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which established that organisms created through new mutagenesis techniques are legally considered GMOs.

Constitutional Stakes and Potential Legal Challenges

The organizations emphasize that Hungary’s stance against GMOs is not merely a policy preference but a long-standing societal and constitutional commitment. Éger Ákos, executive president of the Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége, stated that the government must maintain its position to prevent unlabeled, unassessed genetically modified plants from entering the country’s fields and food systems.

GMO-free agriculture in Hungary is not a momentary political issue, but a multi-decade social commitment, which the Fundamental Law also confirms. Now the question is whether we really take this commitment seriously. Éger Ákos, executive president of the Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége

To uphold this, the coalition is calling for the Hungarian government to initiate consultations with other EU member states that voted against the regulation during the April Council of the European Union session. Specifically, the groups identify Austria, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia as natural allies for a potential joint legal challenge at the European Union Court of Justice.

Risks to Organic Farming and Transparency

The civil organizations argue that the proposed deregulation would disproportionately harm organic farmers. Because organic production standards strictly forbid the use of NGTs, the weakening of labeling and traceability requirements would place an undue burden on these producers to verify their GMO-free status.

The basis of organic farming is trust, transparency, and verifiability. If NGTs appear in the system while labeling and tracking are weakened, then organic farmers will be in a difficult situation. Czeller Gábor, president of the Magyar Biokultúra Szövetség

Furthermore, the coalition disputes the industry’s framing of NGTs as an immediate solution to climate change. Turchányi Bálint, deputy director of Greenpeace Hungary, noted that there is currently no commercially available, drought-tolerant NGT wheat seed that Hungarian farmers could effectively utilize. He characterized the push for deregulation as a form of risk shifting rather than genuine climate protection, emphasizing that drought resistance requires a holistic approach involving soil management, water retention, and landscape structure rather than single-gene modifications.

Uncertain Path Forward for EU Regulations

As of July 23, 2026, the government’s response to the open letter remains the critical next step in this conflict. The organizations are seeking a clear, unified effort from Prime Minister Magyar to challenge the current trajectory of EU biotechnology policy. The coalition remains focused on the possibility of a court-led resolution to maintain the current regulatory, safety, and labeling standards.

Sources: Index.