EU genomic techniques vote opens new path for crop innovation

The European Parliament’s vote in favour of the regulation on New Genomic Techniques has been welcomed by ASAJA as a major step for Spanish and European farmers.

The organisation says the decision could help growers access plant varieties better adapted to drought, pests and disease, while improving water efficiency and reducing the need for production inputs. For Spain, where water scarcity remains one of the main limits on crop performance, this measure is a practical tool for keeping farms viable under tougher climate conditions.

The new framework separates NGT plants into two groups. NGT-1 plants, with genetic changes that could also occur through conventional breeding, will be treated more like traditional varieties once verified. NGT-2 plants, involving more complex modifications, will remain under existing GMO rules, including risk assessment and authorisation before commercialisation.

ASAJA also frames the vote as a competitiveness issue. The organisation argues that while European farmers face some of the world’s strictest environmental standards, competitors in other regions have already been using these technologies. Delays, it says, have widened the gap for EU producers.

The regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal and will start applying two years later. ASAJA says it will continue working in Spain and Brussels to ensure the rules become real tools for farmers without further delays or added barriers.

source and photo: avaasaja.org