As trilogue negotiations on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) continue without conclusion, Europe’s agri-food chain is sounding the alarm. A coalition of 26 EU organisations representing the vast majority of plant-based operators, from input suppliers and farmers to processors and food producers, is calling on the European Parliament to avoid adding new restrictions and to finalise an agreement with the Council and Commission.
With agriculture facing mounting pressures from climate change, emerging pests and diseases, and fewer available crop protection tools, the need for innovation has never been more urgent. While nearly 30 countries worldwide already treat many NGTs as conventional breeding methods, the EU risks falling behind. Supporters argue that NGTs can deliver more resilient, resource-efficient and competitive crops, but only if the EU puts in place a clear, enabling regulatory framework.
The organisations warn that additional requirements currently discussed in the European Parliament, such as extra sustainability criteria, traceability and labelling obligations, or extensive monitoring, go beyond the scope of the Commission’s original proposal. They stress that such measures undermine the scientific basis of the system, create administrative burdens for operators and Member States, and risk conflicting with international trading partners.
They reaffirm their commitment to sustainability and to policies that support investment, legal certainty and innovation. However, they underline that the purpose of the NGT regulation is specific: to authorise plants equivalent to conventional ones under similar conditions, without adding obligations already covered by other EU legislation.
The coalition poses a clear question to EU policymakers: will Europe provide breeders and farmers access to the full toolbox of modern breeding methods, or continue to fall behind global competitors?
With other regions moving ahead and widening the competitiveness gap, the organisations urge the EU institutions to drop unnecessary additional requirements, conclude trilogue talks swiftly and adopt a science-based, future-oriented NGT framework that strengthens competitiveness, simplifies procedures and supports Europe’s strategic autonomy.
