European Union
June 17, 2026

The Commission welcomes today’s agreement by the European Parliament on plants obtained by new genomic techniques (NGTs), which marks the final step in the adoption of new legislation proposed by the Commission in 2023. These new rules will improve the ability of Europe’s plant breeding, farming and food sectors to compete globally. They will also help in tackling growing challenges for plant health, such climate change or new pests and diseases. The agreed legislation reflects the latest scientific developments and is aligned to the approach taken by many of the EU’s trading partners. It will allow better market access for SMEs and help with the development of new plant varieties tailored to European needs, while upholding the European high safety standards. The Regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal, and will start applying two years later.

Key highlights of the new legislation include:

1. Two distinct pathways for NGT Plants:
   • Category 1 NGT Plants: Plants that could also occur naturally or through conventional breeding will undergo a verification procedure and be treated like conventional plants, exempting them from the GMO legislation.
   • Category 2 NGT Plants: Plants with more complex modifications will be subject to risk assessment and authorisation procedures of the GMO legislation, and its traceability and labelling requirements.
2. Reduced administrative burden: The new rules significantly reduce the administrative burden for breeders and farmers, fostering innovation and competitiveness.
3. Safety and sustainability: The legislation ensures a high level of protection for health and the environment while promoting sustainability goals.
4. Transparency and monitoring: The new rules ensure transparency about all NGT plants on the EU market. A robust monitoring programme will track the economic, environmental, and social impacts of NGT plants and products, allowing evaluation and improvement.
5. Patents: provisions on transparency, licencing, guidance and assessment of the impacts of patents ensure breeders’ and farmers’ access while protecting innovation.

For more information, see:

• NGTs page:
• Q&As page
• Factsheet: New genomic techniques in a nutshell

Website: http://europa.eu

Published: June 18, 2026