CRAG: Gene Editing Requires Specific Legislation that is Different from Transgenics

For a few years now, gene editing tools, such as CRISPR, have changed how biotechnology is used in crop development. These techniques allow for the precise and versatile editing of plant and animal DNA. However, in the European Union, legislation has not changed, and gene-edited plants are considered genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and are subjected to the same regulation that was developed in 2001 for transgenic plants.

Considering the great potential of these new gene editing techniques, particularly for the genetic improvement of plants, and that legal requirements do not seem proportional to the potential risk of these products, there is a fairly broad consensus that the current legislative framework is not suitable for these new technologies. The European Commission (EC) has an open initiative to modify the current legislation on GMOs and adapt it to new products derived from gene editing. This initiative is based on the study that the EC requested in 2021. The Commission is expected to make its proposal of modification public in June this year.

This initiative from the EC is in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal, the "Farm 2 Fork" strategy, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reduce hunger and malnutrition in the world. The Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) in Spain considers this proposal an opportunity to open an informed debate on the subject and for citizens to participate actively in defining the agriculture of the future. In a statement regarding the review of the European regulatory framework on gene editing in agriculture, CRAG reaffirms that the current legislative framework for GMOs is not adequate for new technologies, including gene editing.

For more details, read the news release from CRAG. The CRAG statement is available here.