The EU Parliament today: a positive vote for innovation and plant breeding

Date:02-08-2024

The European Parliament’s vote in support of new genomic techniques, marks a significant step forward for agricultural innovation and sustainability in Europe. The plenary vote backed the adoption of these cutting-edge technologies, recognizing their potential to revolutionize farming practices while ensuring food security and environmental stewardship. 

The positive outcome of the European Parliament’s vote underscores a growing consensus among policymakers that embracing innovation to support sustainable agriculture is a must and not a contradiction. New genomic techniques offer a wide range of solutions, including increased crop resilience, enhanced nutritional content, and reduced environmental impact. By leveraging these advanced tools, European farmers can cultivate healthier crops with higher yields, contributing to the region’s agricultural competitiveness and food security. 

    Euroseeds Secretary General, Garlich von Essen said: ″As Europe stands at the forefront of agricultural innovation, the successful integration of new genomic techniques into farming practices will not only drive economic growth but also pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient agricultural sector. With the support of policymakers, stakeholders, and the wider community, Europe can unlock the full potential of these groundbreaking technologies and lead the way towards a brighter future for agriculture. We will evaluate in due time the details regarding traceability, market labelling and intellectual property rights. ″ 

Despite this crucial milestone, the fate of the proposal now rests with the Council of the European Union. The Council’s endorsement is essential to ensure the timely approval of the proposal on new genomic techniques; on the contrary, a potential failure to secure approval during this mandate would cause further delay, hindering Europe’s ability to harness the full potential of these transformative technologies. 

″We call on the Council of the European Union to demonstrate its commitment to innovation by aligning with the European Parliament’s decision and prioritize the adoption of a Regulation governing new genomic techniques″.