International Aspects on Law & Ethics

Project description

What is the research project about?

New Breeding Technologies (NBTs) currently fall under the scope of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), whose use is forbidden in Switzerland. Scientists have been voicing their dissatisfaction with strict regulatory approaches vis-à-vis existing international standards, rules and best practices. However, few studies have assessed GMO regulations from an international law perspective with an empirical bioethics approach. This project addresses this gap by combining a legal part on the international law dimension of GMO regulations with an empirical part that explores attitudes of two major stakeholder groups: lawyers and plant scientists from Switzerland and from countries with more permissive regulations. A normative analysis will be carried out to integrate and balance health, environmental and sustainability concerns and to propose a new framework.

Why is the research project important?

The project will fill a gap concerning legal research, as the implications of different branches of international law are not fully clear at present for the discussion in Switzerland. The empirical part will explore differences in the knowledge and use of available facts and evidence, as well in the balancing of interests of the two stakeholder groups. Project results will make larger Swiss stakeholder groups aware of the role of international law and of attitudes in non-European countries and inform recommendations on how to regulate NBTs in Switzerland in line with existing international obligations.