EU greenlights New Genomic Techniques: A new era for European agriculture

The European Parliament has officially adopted a landmark regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). The final vote, which took place on Wednesday morning, June 17, successfully concludes a legislative journey that began in 2023 after more than two years of intense negotiations and a decade-long debate.  

NGTs—often described as gene-editing tools that allow precise modifications to a plant’s genome without necessarily introducing foreign DNA—have long split opinions. Proponents champion them as a sophisticated evolutionary leap from traditional Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), while critics dismiss them as merely a rebranded "new generation of GMOs."  

The newly approved framework shifts the regulatory paradigm, classifying gene-edited plants based on their final genetic traits rather than the laboratory methods used to create them. Two distinct paths have been established:  
• NGT-1 (Conventional-like): Plants with limited, precise modifications that could theoretically occur through natural selection or conventional breeding. These will be treated identically to traditional crops, exempt from stringent GMO labeling and risk assessments.  
• NGT-2 (GMO-like): Plants featuring extensive or highly complex genetic alterations. These will remain strictly regulated under existing EU GMO directives, requiring rigorous risk evaluations and explicit pre-market authorization.  

While NGT-2 products will demand full traceability and allow individual EU member states to restrict or ban their cultivation, NGT-1 varieties will bypass these hurdles. They will simply be recorded in a public EU registry, and their seeds must be labeled. However, the final food products derived from NGT-1 crops will not carry any GMO tags on supermarket shelves.  

The legislative triumph has sparked sharply contrasting reactions across the continent. Agricultural bodies have welcomed the decision with enthusiasm. Conversely, the organic food sector has voiced deep alarm.  

The regulation will officially enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. However, its full provisions will only become legally binding two years later, earmarking 2028 as the definitive launch year for Europe's new biotechnological agricultural landscape.    

Source:  

EU Parliament