June 18, 2026 | Source: Just Food | by
The European Parliament has approved new rules on genetically modified plants, clearing the way for a revised framework covering crops developed through new genomic techniques (NGTs).
First proposed by the European Commission in 2023, the legislation was provisionally agreed by Parliament and the European Council in December 2025.
It changes the way certain modified plants are regulated, shifting the focus to the genetic characteristics of the final plant rather than the method used to create them.
Jessica Polfjärd, a member of the European Parliament and parliamentary rapporteur on the NGT legislation, called the approval a “historic victory for Europe’s farmers and Europe’s future”.
Polfjärd said in a statement: “European farmers have long been calling for access to these modern breeding tools, to help them develop crops that are more resilient and less dependent on pesticides.
