Gene-editing laws face High Court showdown in May
Gene-edited crops will face a High Court test in May as campaigners challenge the government’s decision to ease regulation of certain genetically modified plants in England.
The judicial review, brought by environmental group Beyond GM alongside organic farmers and consumers, targets the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025.
The rules created a new regulatory category for so-called precision bred organisms (PBOs) — plants developed using gene-editing techniques to introduce genetic changes that ministers say could also arise through conventional breeding.
Under the framework, PBOs are regulated separately from other genetically modified organisms. They are not subject to the same requirements on pre-market safety testing, traceability or labelling, and are exempt from certain environmental damage provisions.
Beyond GM argues the changes remove PBOs from established GMO oversight in England.
The group claims this could allow genetically engineered plants to enter the food system and environment without traceability, potentially affecting organic producers and businesses required to maintain non-GMO supply chains.
It also raises concerns about trade, noting that the European Union continues to regulate PBOs as GMOs, with no formal distinction in law.
The claim has been accepted as an environmental case under the Aarhus Convention and includes arguments based on Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, focusing on access to information and consultation.
In a statement, Beyond GM said: “Citizens have a legitimate expectation of joined-up and transparent regulation when it comes to food and the environment.”
It added: “This patchwork approach removes traceability and oversight in one narrow area while ignoring the knock-on effects everywhere else.
"Our case is about restoring coherence and accountability, and earning public confidence in how food and environmental risks are governed.”
Leigh Day solicitor Julia Eriksen, representing the group, described the 2025 framework as “a significant relaxation” in how precision bred GMOs are regulated.
She said her clients believe the removal of certain requirements “could have a major negative impact on the organic agriculture industry” and warned of possible export implications, pointing out that “there is currently no regulatory distinction between PBOs and GMOs” in the EU.
The government has said the precision breeding regime is designed to encourage scientific innovation while maintaining high safety standards.
Ministers argue that gene editing is more precise than older genetic modification techniques and that PBOs involve genetic changes that could occur naturally or through traditional breeding methods. They have previously said existing food safety and environmental protections continue to apply.
The regulations were introduced last year and came into force on 13 November 2025.
Beyond GM wrote to the Defra Secretary in June challenging the policy. In December, the High Court ordered that the case proceed to a rolled-up hearing — meaning permission and the substantive arguments will be considered together — scheduled for 12–13 May 2026.
The regulations remain in force pending the court’s decision, which could have significant implications for gene-edited crops, organic farming and the UK’s post-Brexit regulatory direction.
