Parliament gives final green light to new genomic techniques legislation
The European Parliament today gave its green light to new rules on plants obtained through new genomic techniques (NGTs), creating a science-based framework that will help farmers develop more resilient crops, strengthen food security and support innovation across Europe's agrifood sector.
The legislation establishes a clear and proportionate regulatory framework for new genomic techniques, enabling the development of crop varieties that are more resistant to drought, pests and plant diseases while helping to reduce the use of pesticides and other inputs.
Pascal Canfin MEP, Renew Europe shadow rapporteur, said:
"We have turned NGTs into a tool for the sustainability of the agricultural model. With NGTs we want to add technological solutions to the farmers' toolbox against climate change, to reduce their dependence on chemical pesticides or other forms of costly dependency. These technological solution add up to nature-based ones like more rotation, more hedgerows. There is no point in opposing them"
Pascal CanfinRenew Europe MEP, France, Renaissance
Throughout the extensive negotiations, Renew Europe worked to ensure that sustainability remained at the heart of the legislation. The final agreement excludes herbicide tolerant plants and plants producing known insecticidal substances from the simplified regime and introduces, as part of the overall monitoring programme, specific monitoring of sustainability impacts, including the positive, negative, economic and social impacts of traits introduced by NGTs.
Pascal Canfin added:
" We have secured a framework that will help breeders develop crops adapted to climate change, reduce pressure on natural resources and ensure that European agriculture remains competitive in a rapidly changing world."
The agreement maintains robust safeguards for human and animal health and the environment while providing legal certainty for researchers, breeders and farmers.
By providing a clear regulatory framework for new genomic techniques, the legislation will help ensure that innovation takes place in Europe rather than elsewhere, while supporting the transition towards a more resilient, sustainable and competitive food system.