European farmers set for faster access to climate-resilient crops
European farmers could gain faster access to drought-tolerant, pest-resistant and higher-yielding crops after MEPs backed new EU rules on plant breeding.
The European Parliament has adopted amended rules designed to make it easier to develop and use plants produced through new genomic techniques, known as NGTs.
NGTs are used to alter plant traits more precisely than conventional breeding, with supporters arguing they could help agriculture respond to climate change, pests and pressure to reduce pesticide use.
The decision is also relevant for UK agriculture, where England has legislated for a separate precision-breeding framework for plants under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act.
However, the UK position remains more complex, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland not following England’s approach, and recent legal uncertainty around the regulations.
The Food Standards Agency says no precision-bred crops or animals have yet been authorised for sale as food or animal feed in the UK.
The EU move could still matter for British growers, breeders and seed businesses where crop innovation, imports, exports and supply chains are linked to the European market, although the rules will not directly apply in the UK.
That means the impact for British farmers will depend on domestic policy, market access and future trade arrangements.
The new EU approach marks a shift towards regulating plants based on their final genetic characteristics, rather than solely on how they were produced.
Under the rules, NGT plants will be split into two categories. NGT-1 plants, which contain limited changes that could also occur through conventional breeding, will be treated like conventional plants once verified.
NGT-2 plants, involving more extensive or complex genetic changes, will remain subject to existing GMO rules, including risk assessment and authorisation before commercialisation.
Following a request from Parliament, plants engineered for herbicide tolerance or to produce insecticidal substances will not be eligible for NGT-1 status.
The rules will apply to plants developed in Europe as well as imported products.
Several products made from NGT plants are already available or in advanced development outside the EU, including low-gluten wheat, pathogen-resistant potatoes and drought-tolerant maize.
The regulation is also intended to steer the use of NGTs towards plants with sustainability traits, including climate and pest resistance, with monitoring of their sustainability impacts made mandatory.
MEPs also inserted safeguards aimed at preventing market concentration and ensuring affordability and fair access for farmers.
The rules include safeguards intended to protect farmers’ ability to save and replant seeds.
NGTs will be patentable, except for traits or sequences that occur in nature or are produced by biological means.
Full traceability and labelling requirements will remain in place for NGT-2 plants, and EU member states will be able to restrict or prohibit their cultivation even where they have been authorised in the bloc.
Plant varieties containing or derived from an NGT-1 plant will be listed in a public EU database.
Seed bags and other reproductive plant material will also have to be labelled as NGT-1, allowing farmers to make an informed choice.
NGTs will not be permitted in organic production.
However, the technically unavoidable presence of NGT-1 plants would not automatically mean organic operators were in breach of the rules.
The European Commission will assess whether the regulation creates administrative, economic or practical burdens for organic operators, including around consumer perception.
Rapporteur Jessica Polfjärd said the vote marked a major step for European farming.
“This is a historic victory for Europe's farmers and Europe's future,” she said.
She said the decision showed support for innovation, competitiveness and food security, while giving farmers access to breeding tools that could help produce more resilient crops.
“European farmers have long been calling for access to these modern breeding tools, to help them develop crops that are more resilient and less dependent on pesticides,” she said.
Ms Polfjärd added that making the technologies available would support food security and innovation across Europe.
“By making these safe, science-based breeding technologies available, Parliament is delivering for European farmers, safeguarding our food security, and building a more competitive and innovative Europe,” she said.
