New genomic techniques (NGTs) are innovative tools that enable faster, more precise and targeted changes to genetic material. Applied to plants, they can support the transition to a more sustainable, resilient and competitive agrifood system.
New EU rules for plants obtained by NGTs were proposed by the European Commission in 2023 and adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 17 June 2026. They will help to unlock innovation in plant breeding, while maintaining the EU’s high health and environmental protection standards.
What are NGTs?
NGTs are a group of techniques that have been developed over the last two decades. They can alter the genetic material of an organism with greater precision, speed and efficiency than conventional breeding and established genomic techniques. They include:
- targeted mutagenesis (which induces mutations without inserting genetic material from another species)
- cisgenesis (which introduces genetic material from a sexually compatible plant).
These techniques can be used to introduce genetic changes that may also occur naturally or through conventional means, or to introduce more extensive and complex modifications.
NGT-derived plant products are already available outside the EU, including crops with improved resistance to drought, pests and diseases, and products designed to reduce food waste.
Why NGTs matter
NGTs can contribute to the EU’s goals of more sustainable, resilient and competitive agriculture and food systems, providing solutions to some of the key challenges that farmers and operators face today.
Agriculture
- crops more resilient to climate change
- reduced need for fertilisers and pesticides
- improved resistance to pests and diseases
Food systems
- improved nutritional characteristics
- reduction of undesirable substances
- reduced food waste
Innovation & economy
- faster breeding cycles
- lower development costs
- increased competitiveness of EU agriculture.
Are NGT plants regulated as GMOs?
Before adoption of the new rules, plants obtained using NGTs were all regulated as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The new EU framework recognises that some NGT plants contain genetic changes that could also occur naturally or through conventional breeding. These plants, following a verification procedure, are treated in the same way as conventional plants.
Other NGT plants, which contain more complex genetic modifications, remain subject to GMO legislation. They require risk assessment, authorisation and GMO labelling before they can be placed on the market.
Why the EU introduced new rules for NGTs
The EU's GMO legislation was adopted in 2001, before NGTs were developed. Advances in science have since made it possible to develop plants more precisely and efficiently than with earlier techniques and to introduce genetic modifications similar to those introduced with conventional breeding techniques.
The new EU framework – which enters into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU and applies 2 years later – updates the rules to reflect these developments. It:
- supports innovation and sustainability while maintaining high standards for the protection of human and animal health and the environment
- sets out a tailored regulatory system for NGT plants, based on their characteristics
- contains provisions concerning transparency and monitoring of patents related to NGT plants.
The new rules only cover certain NGTs, namely targeted mutagenesis and cisgenesis, when applied to plants. Other NGTs, transgenic plants, and the application of NGTs to animals and microorganisms are not covered and remain under the existing GMO legislation.
The new system will ensure that all NGT plants meet high safety standards, with GMO-specific risk assessment where required. NGT plants will not be allowed in organic farming.
How the new framework works
The legislation identifies two categories of NGT plants.
Category 1 NGT plants
- equivalent to conventional plants and plants obtained through conventional breeding
- subject to a verification procedure
- treated like conventional plants (not subject to the requirements of GMO legislation)
Category 2 NGT plants
- more complex genetic modifications
- subject to GMO legislation
- requiring GMO risk assessment, authorisation, traceability and labelling
Safety, transparency and oversight
The EU framework ensures high levels of protection for human and animal health and the environment. NGT plants and products will only be released or marketed when they are as safe as their conventional counterparts.
The framework also provides transparency through:
- seed labelling for Category 1 plants
- GMO labelling for Category 2 plants
- public databases of NGT plants
- information in variety catalogues.
The Commission will establish a detailed programme to monitor the economic, environmental, and social impacts of the Regulation, including impacts on health and the environment and on sustainability.
For more information see EU legislation on new genomic techniques