New genomic techniques (NGTs) have received the backing of the European Commission in a strategy paper, while NGOs promise an intense campaign against them over the coming years.
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The term NGTs describes a number of scientific methods used to alter genomes with the aim of genetically engineering certain traits into plants, such as drought tolerance and pest resistance.
Unlike traditional GMOs, which typically transfer genes between species, NGTs induce changes within the same species.
However, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) placed traditional GMOs and NGTs ruling on an equal footing in 2018, stating that the latter should, in principle, fall under the GMO directive – leaving the industry ‘shocked’ and the Commission ‘surprised’.
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In particular, the study states that there are “strong indications” that the current legislation is “not fit for purpose for some NGTs and their products, and that it needs to be adapted to scientific and technological progress.”
According to the specialised media Agrafacts, there is a tentative 4-year horizon to exempt targeted mutagenesis techniques and cisgenesis techniques from the GMO Directive, while a 10-year timeframe is seen as a likely option to regulate all the other NGTs on a case-by-case risk assessment.
