International news
The European Parliament has approved legislation that will ease restrictions on a new generation of gene-edited crops across the European Union, marking one of the bloc's biggest changes to agricultural biotechnology policy in decades.
The rules cover plants developed through New Genomic Techniques, known as NGTs, including gene-editing methods such as CRISPR. Supporters say the technology will help farmers produce crops that are more resistant to drought, disease and pests while reducing the need for pesticides and improving food security.
The legislation introduces a two-tier system for regulating gene-edited plants.
Plants classified as NGT-1, which contain genetic changes that regulators say could also occur through conventional breeding or natural processes, will face lighter regulation and be treated in a similar way to traditionally bred crops. More extensively modified NGT-2 plants will remain subject to existing genetically modified organism rules, including risk assessments and authorisation requirements before entering the market.
