The SIA hails the decision not to forbid genetic engineering
Position of the Swiss Insurance Association (SIA) on the Gen-Lex (Genetic Engineering Bill) decision by the Federal Council.
Zurich, 19.1.2000 – The SIA hails the decision not to introduce a moratorium on or to forbid the use of genetic engineering. This decision will help promote the Swiss economy and ensure the participation of Switzerland in the development of genetic engineering technology.
The SIA considers the measures foreseen to protect consumers to be sensible. The procedure for obtaining a permit to release GMOs affords preventive protection. Promotion of public discussion of genetic engineer-ing technology offers the consumer greater transparency and information on the opportunities and risks that this new technology incurs, thereby providing a basis for the decision on whether to exploit or to foreswear genetically modified products. But offering the consumer the freedom of choice also implies an obligation to state the facts.
The formulation of manufacturer’s liability will have to be reviewed
According to the SIA, the formulation of manufacturer’s liability urgently needs revision. The current ar-rangement works to the detriment of the first manufacturers to put a product on the market. It would have a far greater liability than any other manufacturer world-wide has ever had. Indeed, it would be liable not only for defective products but also for those which were not so and this is a new state of affairs in third-party li-ability law, the appropriateness and expediency of which must absolutely be reconsidered in the light of the attractiveness of Switzerland as an economic entity. The consequence is that a manufacturer is liability for processes over which it has no influence, such as the improper utilisation of genetically modified products. This raises fundamental problems that call for careful analysis.
If third-party liability is to be tightened up, this will also involve a limitation period as proposed. In the case of risks arising in connection with GMO, that period is to be 30 years which is considerably more than the Euro-pean average. At the same time, the limitation period for other environmental risks is to be doubled (from 10 to 20 years). Why, exactly, the Gen-Lex Bill is to bring about a hightening of general environmental risks defies comprehension.
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