Press Release – EU Parliament adopts new legislation on NGTs 7 Feb 2024

Press release

^07th February 2024

Plants for the Future ETP welcomes the historic vote today by the EU Parliament to adopt new legislation for plants obtained through certain new genomic techniques

Today was a historic vote to support innovation in plant breeding and finally leverage decades of basic and applied research to promote the transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems. NGTs will enable the breeding sector to develop more diverse and resilient plant varieties for European farmers, so that they can maintain agricultural production, while reducing inputs and resources, thereby ensuring all three pillars of sustainability.

With 307 votes in favour, 263 against and 41 abstaining, the EU Parliament members indicated their support for New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), by adopting the new legislative proposal put forward by the European Commission last July.

Plants for the Future would like to thank all members of the European Parliament, in particular, rapporteur Jessica Polfjärd and the supporting shadow rapporteurs, for their hard work and skillful negotiations.

“We now look towards the EU Council, where negotiations are still underway, and hope that under the guidance of the Belgian Presidency, an agreement can be reached in the coming weeks, to allow sufficient time for trilogues and adoption of the final legislative text before the Spring election.” says Amrit Nanda, Executive Manager of Plans for the Future.

Meanwhile, Plants for the Future will continue supporting policymakers by providing science-based recommendations, facts and perspectives from the agri-food players that will be directly impacted by the final legislative text.

Download the press release here.