Open Letter – Promoting a Common Approach for the NGT Legislative Proposal in the EU Council
Open Letter
12th March 2025
Plants for the Future ETP has issued an open letter expressing support for reaching a common approach on the legislative proposal for plants obtained by certain New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) during the upcoming COREPER meeting this 14th of March.
Plant ETP welcomes the Polish Presidency’s balanced proposal, based on the scientific evidence that category 1 NGT plants are as safe as conventionally bred plants and should therefore be regulated in the same way. This proposal aims to foster innovation, leverage Europe’s scientific excellence, and contribute to a more sustainable agrifood system.
Plant ETP also acknowledges that some stakeholders may prefer to exclude NGTs from their production and supply chains. To ensure freedom of choice, the seed and breeding sector commits to providing transparency on whether NGTs were used during variety development, through a public database. This will allow stakeholders to make informed decisions about their production and supply chains without imposing disproportionate burdens on others.
The letter underscores the critical role that innovation and technology play in supporting Europe’s Green Deal objectives, which aim to make agrifood systems more resilient, sustainable, and competitive in the face of climate change. Plant ETP calls on the Council to demonstrate its readiness to move forward to trilogues, ensuring that Europe remains a leader in agricultural innovation.
Read the Open Letter here.