EU Parliament Casts a Historic Vote in Favor of Relaxing Regulations for Genome-Edited Crops
On January 24, The European Parliament's Environmental Committee gave the green light to a set of new rules for New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), paving the way for innovative plant breeding practices that could revolutionize the agri-food sector in Europe.
With 47 votes in favor, 31 against, and four abstentions, the Parliament approved the proposal presented by the European Commission in July 2023 to distinguish plants obtained using NGTs into two categories. Under the new framework, genome-edited plants that are “indistinguishable” from those obtained through conventional breeding (NGT 1) would be exempted from the requirements of the current GMO legislation, while those with more “complex modifications” (NGT 2) would follow stricter rules under the existing GMO legislation. The committee also voted that no compulsory labeling will be needed at the consumer level for products manufactured from NGT 1 plants. In contrast, all seeds obtained from NGT plants must be labeled and searchable from a public database.
The decision comes at a time of crisis in the European agricultural sector and five months before the elections. Earlier this month, 37 Nobel prize winners and over 1,500 scientists urged EU lawmakers to support new genomic techniques, or NGTs, in light of the “climate crisis, biodiversity loss and renewed food insecurity”.
A new beginning
While a plenary vote awaits on February 6, the Parliament made additional efforts for the adoption of the proposal by its member EU countries. It agreed that for now, all NGT plants should be kept out of organic production while their compatibility is further studied, a rather thoughtful way to help prevent EU countries from banning them in their territory. In addition, the EU lawmakers voted to introduce a full ban on patents for NGT plants, to minimize legal uncertainties and reduce costs for farmers and breeders, which also brings the NGT plants under the same Plant Variety protections as conventionally bred plants.
Committee rapporteur Jessica Polfjard called the proposal critical for sustainably strengthening Europe’s food safety. “We finally have a chance to implement rules that embrace innovation, and I look forward to concluding negotiations in the parliament and with the council as soon as possible,” she said.
Despite the significant support the proposal has received from science, research, and agricultural communities, the EU Organics Association, IFOAM, as well as many NGOs remain alarmed over unsettled concerns notably on safety checks, labeling, and traceability.
As a resolved early innovator in the plant genome-editing space in Europe, Plantik is particularly well-positioned to capitalize on these changes with its expertise in making small and effective changes in the regulatory regions of plant genomes, which will fall under the category of NGT 1. With years of successful research and development, Plantik is, more than ever, ready to embrace the new era in Europe calling for a more sustainable and resilient agriculture fueled by biotech innovations.
Read the press release of the EU Parliament below:
