. The EU invokes a mechanism called the precautionary principle in cases where an innovation, such as GMOs, has not yet been sufficiently researched for potential harms. According to article 191 of the Treaty of the European Union, if a given policy or action might cause harm to the public or the environment and if there is no scientific agreement on the issue yet, the policy or action in question should not be carried out.14 The precautionary principle requires us to grasp the consequences of a risk before taking it. To be clear, the process is dynamic. Inventors have the right to conduct more research. If scientific consensus emerges or new evidence suggests a lower risk level, the innovation can proceed to market. This principle does not ban risk, it merely ensures that we have a parachute-or an understanding of what lies at the bottom—before we take a plunge

Source: The Tech Coup – Marietje Schaake