AseBio welcomes the European Parliament’s approval of New Genomic Techniques
For AseBio, the agreement marks a significant step towards a modern, science-based regulatory framework capable of fostering innovation and addressing key challenges such as climate change, agricultural sustainability, food security and European competitiveness.
The European Parliament has approved new rules aimed at facilitating access to plant varieties that are more resilient to climate change and pests, while delivering higher yields and reducing the need for pesticides.
The regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), provisionally agreed between the Parliament and the Council in December 2025, introduces a new approach to EU legislation by regulating plants according to their final genetic characteristics rather than the method used to obtain them.
The new framework establishes two categories of plants developed through NGTs, each subject to different legal requirements.
Category 1 NGT plants include those with a limited number of genetic modifications that could also have been obtained through conventional breeding techniques. Once verified as meeting the established criteria, these plants will be subject to the same regulatory treatment as conventionally bred varieties. However, at the request of the European Parliament, plants developed to tolerate herbicides or produce insecticidal substances will be excluded from this category.
Category 2 NGT plants, on the other hand, include those with more extensive or complex genetic modifications. These plants will remain subject to the existing legislation governing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), including risk assessment requirements and prior authorisation before they can be marketed within the European Union.
The regulation will apply both to plants produced within Europe and to imported products. Outside the European Union, several NGT-derived products are already available or at advanced stages of development, including low-gluten wheat, pest-resistant potatoes and drought-tolerant maize.
Traceability, labelling and Member States’ decision-making powers
Category 2 NGT plants will continue to be subject to full traceability and labelling requirements. In addition, Member States will retain the right to restrict or prohibit their cultivation within their territories, even if they have been authorised at EU level.
Plant varieties containing or derived from Category 1 NGT plants will be included in a public EU database. Furthermore, all seed packages and reproductive material must be labelled as “Category 1 NGT” to ensure farmers have access to clear information that supports informed decision-making.
To encourage the use of these technologies for the development of more sustainable crops, the legislation also provides for monitoring their impact on traits such as climate resilience and pest resistance.
Organic production
The use of NGTs will not be permitted in organic production. However, the technically unavoidable presence of Category 1 NGT plants will not be considered a breach of organic production rules.
The European Commission will also assess whether the implementation of the regulation creates administrative, economic or practical burdens for organic operators, as well as any implications related to the perceptions of both operators and consumers.
Patents and farmers’ rights
The legislation allows for the patentability of NGTs, with the exception of traits or genetic sequences that occur naturally or are obtained through biological processes.
Members of the European Parliament have also introduced measures aimed at preventing excessive market concentration and ensuring that farmers retain affordable and equitable access to these technologies. These safeguards include preserving farmers’ rights to save and reuse seeds for future planting.
The approval of this legislation represents a decisive milestone in a legislative process that has spanned almost three years and involved extensive technical work, political negotiations and dialogue among European institutions, the scientific community, plant breeders, farmers and their representative organisations.
For AseBio, the agreement reflects a collective effort to provide Europe with a modern, proportionate and science-based regulatory framework capable of supporting innovation while addressing critical challenges such as climate adaptation, sustainable agricultural production, food security and sector competitiveness.
We believe that the adoption of these new rules on genomic techniques represents an important opportunity for European farmers to gain access to advanced breeding tools that can help develop more resilient crops, better adapted to adverse climatic conditions and less dependent on inputs such as pesticides.
As the legislative process enters its final stage, we reaffirm our commitment to continue working with European and national institutions to ensure the effective implementation of the Regulation and to fully harness the potential of New Genomic Techniques in support of a more sustainable, resilient and innovative agricultural sector, while strengthening the European Union’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness.