European Union approves new rules for plant gene editing and relaxes part of the GMO regime.

On June 17th, the European Parliament approved new rules for the use of so-called New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) in seeds. These are a set of plant breeding techniques based on precise genome editing. The vote represents the final step in a legislative process initiated by the European Commission in 2023 and agreed upon by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, the two co-legislators of the bloc, in December 2025. After publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, the new rules will come into effect two years later.

The decision marks a significant shift in European agricultural policy. For decades, the European Union maintained one of the world's most restrictive regimes for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), requiring extensive authorization, risk assessment, traceability, and labeling procedures. The new regulation seeks to adapt this regulatory framework to scientific advances made in recent decades, especially precision gene-editing techniques that differ from traditional transgenesis methods.

The European movement follows a trend observed in several important agricultural countries, which have been relaxing rules for plant varieties obtained through genome editing. Countries such as the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Australia, and China have already established mechanisms that distinguish certain gene-editing techniques from traditional genetically modified organisms, especially when there is no insertion of genetic material from other species. The goal is to increase the resilience of agricultural production by developing plants that are more resistant to pests and extreme weather events, with the potential to increase productivity and reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

In a note[1], the European Parliament argues that the change also seeks to align the European Union with technological developments already observed in other agricultural markets. Examples cited include low-gluten wheat varieties, disease-resistant potatoes, and drought-tolerant maize, products that are already on the market or in advanced stages of development outside the European bloc.

What changes in practice?

The new regulation establishes a division between two categories of plants obtained through New Genomic Techniques. The first category, called NGT-1, includes plants whose genetic alterations are considered equivalent to those that occur through conventional breeding. In these cases, the varieties will be exempt from the requirements currently applied to GMOs, including authorization, risk assessment, and traceability procedures.

Plants classified as NGT-2 will continue to be subject to the regulatory regime applicable to genetically modified organisms. This means that prior authorization, scientific risk assessment, identification, and labeling requirements will remain mandatory. Furthermore, Member States will retain the power to restrict or prohibit the marketing of these varieties within their territories.

The distinction between the categories stems precisely from the nature of the genetic modification performed. While gene-editing techniques typically promote precise alterations in genes already existing in the organism, without necessarily introducing external genetic material, traditional GMOs often involve the insertion of genes from other species. This difference has been used by regulators and the scientific community to advocate for distinct regulatory approaches for each technology.

The approved proposal establishes that plants modified to increase herbicide tolerance or to produce insecticidal substances will continue to be classified in the NGT-2 category, thus remaining subject to the requirements applicable to GMOs.

The context of regulatory change

The approval of the new rules reflects a debate that intensified in Europe following the 2018 decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which determined that organisms obtained through modern gene-editing techniques should be regulated under the same legal framework applicable to traditional GMOs.

Since then, scientific institutions, research centers, and parts of the agricultural sector have argued that European legislation has become incompatible with the latest technological advances. In response, the European Commission initiated a review of the issue and concluded that certain applications of New Genomic Techniques could contribute to the bloc's strategic objectives, including food security, adaptation to climate change, and reducing the use of synthetic inputs.

Potential impacts on agriculture

According to a publication by Embrapa[2] on gene editing, studies in the international literature indicate that the adoption of agricultural biotechnologies has been associated, on average, with increases of 22% in agricultural production and reductions of 37% in the use of chemical pesticides. These potential gains are among the arguments used by proponents of New Genomic Techniques, who highlight their ability to develop varieties that are more resistant to pests, diseases and extreme weather events, reducing the need for inputs and increasing the resilience of production systems.

References: 

[1] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. New genomic techniques for plants to boost innovation in sustainable agriculture. Press release, 11 June. 2026. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20260611IPR45215/new-genomic-techniques-for-plants-to-boost-innovation-in-sustainable-agriculture. Accessed on: 18 June. 2026.
[2] ABREU, Andréa Guimarães; ARRAES, Fernanda Batista; SILVA, Juliana de Freitas Guedes da (orgs.). CRISPR technology in plant genome editing: biotechnology applied to agriculture. Brasília: Embrapa, 2020. 206 p.