The European Parliament has adopted the new regulation on plants obtained through New Genomic Techniques, known as NGTs. The vote, held on 17 June, introduces a new framework for certain gene edited plants and has triggered a strong reaction from the European organic movement, farming organisations, biodiversity groups and consumer organisations.
The text distinguishes between Category 1 and Category 2 NGT plants. Category 1 plants may receive a regulatory treatment similar to conventional varieties once they have passed a verification procedure. Category 2 plants will remain subject to EU legislation on genetically modified organisms, including risk assessment, authorisation, traceability and labelling.
For the European institutions, the regulation aims to facilitate the development of plant varieties that are more resistant to climate change, pests and diseases, with higher yields and a reduced need for pesticides. For much of the organic movement and civil society, however, the regulation weakens key safeguards on safety, transparency and the right to information.
IFOAM Organics Europe was among the first organisations to react. The organisation reaffirmed that the European organic sector will continue to produce without genetically modified organisms and without NGTs. At the same time, it warned that the new regulation represents “a step backwards for biosafety, transparency and freedom of choice”.
The organisation stresses that the mobilisation of the organic movement secured two important safeguards: NGTs will remain prohibited in organic production and seed lots containing NGTs will have to be labelled. This obligation will provide farmers with minimum information to avoid planting NGT crops.
«The new regulation represents a step backwards for biosafety, transparency and freedom of choice»
Jan Plagge, President of IFOAM Organics Europe, stated: “The organic movement remains committed to producing food without GMOs and without NGTs, and will continue to engage in systemic and open source agroecological innovation to make whole farming systems more sustainable. The alleged benefits of NGTs are based on pure speculation, and we urge policy makers to pay more attention to who controls the technologies they choose to deregulate, and to the impact of technologies like NGTs on European food sovereignty.”
The most sensitive issue for the organic sector is now coexistence. Although NGTs remain excluded from organic production, sector organisations fear that the lack of sufficient controls, full traceability and final product labelling may make it harder for farmers, processors, retailers and consumers to choose products free from NGTs.
Friends of the Earth Spain has denounced that the vote “weakens protection for consumers and the food sector”. The organisation argues that the European Parliament has given the green light to new genetically modified varieties by removing controls and labelling, and warns that the decision fails to respect the precautionary principle.
“It is a bad day for European citizens. Our political leaders, from agriculture ministers to parliamentarians led by the European People’s Party and the far right, have chosen to prioritise the profits of a few biotechnology giants over the rights of those who feed us, over our rights and over the protection of nature”, declared Andrés Muñoz, Food Sovereignty Officer at Friends of the Earth Spain.
Concern is not limited to controls or labelling. Patents on seeds, genetic traits and sequences have become the other major unresolved issue. IFOAM Organics Europe warns that this question remains open and may limit access to genetic resources, reduce innovation, increase dependencies and lead to greater concentration within the food system.
ARCHE NOAH, an organisation focused on cultivated diversity, described the vote as “a dark day for diversity and freedom of choice”. Paul Grabenberger, seed policy expert at the organisation, said: “Today’s vote is a missed opportunity to protect Europe’s farmers, breeders and food system from an expansion of seed patents. With this result, Parliament has failed to draw a clear line against corporate control over genetic resources.”
The organisation recalls that, in its original position on the NGT file adopted in 2024, the European Parliament demanded the labelling of NGT products and no patents on seeds. According to ARCHE NOAH, the final text adopted fulfils neither of these demands.
“Unfortunately, many MEPs have bowed to the pressure from the agrochemical industry. It is deeply concerning that a majority of MEPs rejected an amendment that would have helped secure a patent free space for GMO free agriculture,” Grabenberger added.
The coalition No Patents on Seeds! has also regretted the outcome. Its spokesperson Johanna Eckhardt stated: “The European Parliament has missed the chance to stop patents on seeds, or to at least limit their effects. We very much regret this decision. However, we will continue our efforts to prevent further patents, in particular on conventionally bred plants.”
The organisation warns that the introduction of NGT plants may become a driver of new patents affecting conventional breeding as well. The risk highlighted by these organisations is that farmers and small breeding companies may face greater legal uncertainty and a more concentrated seed market.
«Weakens protection for consumers and the food sector»
Corporate Europe Observatory was especially critical of the vote. Nina Holland stated: “From the outset, the NGT law proposal from the European Commission had no scientific basis and is built on false promises of sustainability. The EU is taking a big step back in health and environmental protection by excluding most NGT plants from safety tests and traceability requirements. The rightwing EPP rapporteur Jessica Polfjärd has played a dirty trick on democracy by not actually defending during trilogues the EP’s main demands for labeling and restricting patents as adopted in February 2024.”
Centro Internazionale Crocevia and 21 Italian organisations, including AIAB, Demeter Italia, FederBio, Greenpeace Italia, Slow Food Italia and WWF Italia, have also condemned the vote. The organisations consider the new regulation a setback for food sovereignty, farmers’ rights and consumers’ rights, and warn of further centralisation of the seed market in the hands of large multinationals.
The new regulation will enter into force after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and most of its provisions will apply after the planned transition period. Until then, the debate will focus on the practical implementation of the new framework, the effective protection of organic production, traceability in the food chain and the actual scope of patents on seeds and genetic resources.
For the organic sector, the main message is clear: European organic production will continue to produce without NGTs. The question now is whether the new framework will offer sufficient guarantees for farmers, processors, retailers and consumers to exercise free and informed choice.
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