Draft NBT regulation: a key step by the European Parliament to be welcomed
Draft NBT regulation: a key step by the European Parliament to be welcomed
On 24 April 2024, the plenary session of the European Parliament examined the proposal for a Regulation on genome-editing techniques (NBT). As the end of their term of office approaches, and at a time of strong agricultural demands in the various Member States, the MEPs have opted for varietal innovation by reaffirming their position in favour of these new breeding techniques.
After several years of reflection and work, the members of the Collectif en faveur de l'innovation welcome this major step towards the definition of an appropriate and clear European legal framework for new genome-editing techniques (NBT). The European Parliament, which this week concludes its work for the 2019-2024 term of office, has voted to reaffirm its desire to make available to the farming world one of the tools needed for its transition. At a time when agriculture is facing an unprecedented crisis, it is vital to set a clear course in favour of varietal innovation, a major lever for the agro-ecological transition.
While expectations are high, and in the absence of a consensus among the members of the Council of the European Union, the trilogues, cycles of negotiation between the three European bodies, were unfortunately unable to begin before the end of the mandate. While the principle of appropriate regulation has been accepted, there are still a few points of difficulty to be resolved in the forthcoming post-election debates.
The requirement for traceability and labelling of NBT1 up to the final product is therefore inappropriate. Maintaining clear information for farmers in the official catalogue is appropriate to enable them to make an informed choice. On the other hand, making provision for labelling up to the final consumer is disproportionate and would entail considerable costs for the agricultural and agri-food sectors, which is not desirable in an inflationary context.
Furthermore, the European Parliament has adopted a ban on the patentability of NBT1 plants. The subject of intellectual property needs to be addressed within the dedicated body of regulations (intellectual property law), to better assess the potential improvements to the operation of current legislation, which guarantees the coexistence of patents and PVP (Plant Variety Certificates).
To meet the challenges of climate change, reducing the use of plant protection products and improving competitiveness, the world of agriculture needs genetic innovation more than ever. Parliament's vote is an important commitment for the future. The members of the Collectif en faveur de l'innovation variétale welcome this major step forward. However, they will be paying close attention to the decision of the Council of the European Union, which must now reach an agreement so that the trialogue negotiations can begin and a viable solution can be found for the development of the European Union's agricultural sector.