The European Parliament has approved legislation that will ease restrictions on a new generation of gene-edited crops across the European Union, marking one of the bloc’s biggest changes to agricultural biotechnology policy in decades.<\/p>\n
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The rules cover plants developed through New Genomic Techniques, known as NGTs, including gene-editing methods such as CRISPR. Supporters say the technology will help farmers produce crops that are more resistant to drought, disease and pests while reducing the need for pesticides and improving food security.<\/p>\n
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The legislation introduces a two-tier system for regulating gene-edited plants.<\/p>\n
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Plants classified as NGT-1, which contain genetic changes that regulators say could also occur through conventional breeding or natural processes, will face lighter regulation and be treated in a similar way to traditionally bred crops. More extensively modified NGT-2 plants will remain subject to existing genetically modified organism rules, including risk assessments and authorisation requirements before entering the market.<\/p>\n
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The vote represents a shift away from the EU’s longstanding approach, which regulated crops largely according to the techniques used to create them rather than their final characteristics.<\/p>\n
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Supporters argue that the change will help European agriculture compete with countries that have already adopted gene-editing technologies.<\/p>\n
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Jessica Polfj\u00e4rd, the Swedish lawmaker who led the legislation through Parliament, described the decision as a milestone for European farming.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBy approving the use of NGTs, we have chosen innovation, competitiveness, and food security,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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Under the new framework, crops engineered for herbicide tolerance or to produce insecticidal substances will not qualify for the simplified NGT-1 category. Parliament also approved provisions requiring NGT-1 plant varieties to be listed in a public database and labelled in seed packaging, while NGT-2 products will continue to require full traceability and labelling.<\/p>\n
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The legislation also maintains the ban on gene-edited crops in organic farming, although unavoidable traces of some NGT-1 plants will not automatically breach organic standards.<\/p>\n
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The changes have drawn criticism from environmental organisations, seed campaign groups and some scientists who argue that the new rules remove safeguards before the long-term effects of the technology are fully understood.<\/p>\n
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