Meet the Citizens' Committee
We are a group of young Master's students from eight EU member states. We met during our studies at Wageningen University and Research and started this initiative to foster responsible agricultural innovation in the EU.
With backgrounds in food safety, food law, environmental studies, plant sciences, economics and biotechnology, we have joined forces to urge the European Commission to act. We wish to see an improvement to the outdated legislation on plant breeding in the EU.
Want to know more? We are always happy to answer your questions and exchange views here.
Lavinia is a veterinarian currently pursuing a Master's in Food Safety Law and Regulatory Affairs. She co-founded the initiative with the aim to implement in the EU more progressive and sustainable farming practices.
Lavinia Scudiero
Oli is currently studying Food Law and Regulatory Affairs. She co-founded the initiative because her goal is to improve the legal system in EU concerning Food Safety.
Oli Svilečić
Eva is a biotechnologist currently pursuing a Master's in Management, Economics and Consumer Studies in life sciences. She co-founded this initiative to promote innovation and progress in agriculture.
Eva Bataller Perelló
Dick is studying Food Law and Regulatory Affairs and has co-founded this initiative out of the confidence that improved plant breeding can help the transition towards a bio-based economy.
Dick Bakker
Jibbe is currently studying Biotechnology, and co-founded this initiative to contribute to EU legislation to help implement effective and safe plant breeding policies.
Jibbe Keulen
Martina is studying Safety in the Food Chain with a Food Law specialisation. She co-founded the initiative because she is convinced that an update of the legislation is imperative for the safe, responsible and sustainable use of new plant breeding techniques in the EU.
Martina Helmlinger
Lilli is pursuing a Master’s in Crop Sciences and she co-founded this initiative to contribute to solutions of global challenges such as food security, environmental sustainability and climate change.
Lilli Schütz
Fawad is a Master’s student of Biotechnology with a background in Economics and co-founded this initiative to promote much-needed biotechnological innovation.
Fawad Omar
Miguel studies Plant Biotechnology and is concerned about the future of plant breeding in Europe. He co-founded this initiative to contribute to food safety and security for the next generations.
Miguel Leitão
Miltiadis is studying his Master's in Management, Economics and Consumer Studies in life sciences. He co-founded this initiative because he believes that with the use of NPBTs, agri-businesses can shift towards more sustainable operations while simultaneously increasing crop yields.