EU Parliament adopts new rules for gene-edited crops

The European Parliament has formally adopted new European Union rules governing plants developed using new genomic techniques, a move that will significantly ease regulations for many gene-edited crops. The final approval came on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concluding a legislative process that began with a European Commission proposal in 2023.

The new regulation establishes a two-tier system for plants altered using NGTs. Plants with a limited number and type of genetic changes that could have occurred naturally or through conventional breeding will be classified as NGT1. Once verified, these plants will be treated like conventional varieties, exempt from the EU's strict existing rules for genetically modified organisms. However, plants engineered specifically for herbicide tolerance or to produce insecticidal substances are excluded from this category. Plants with more extensive or complex modifications will be classified as NGT2 and will remain subject to full GMO risk assessments, authorization, and traceability requirements.

Supporters, including a broad coalition of over 30 European agri-food organizations, argue the framework is a science-based approach that will boost...