On New GMOs (or NGTs) the Danish programme says: "New genomic techniques can play a central role in the development of resilient crops and contribute to a more sustainable food production. The Presidency will work to conclude negotiations on proposals regarding plants developed by new genomic techniques, (...)."
Trilogue negotiations are expected to start in September, when Parliament is back from its summer recess.
What are the sticking points?
According to the progress report from the Polish Presidency, dated 13th June 2025, the areas where the different parties most diverge are:
– Conditions to obtain category 1 NGT status: “Parliament and Council differ on the approach and thresholds set in the equivalence criteria, i.e. the type and extent of genetic modifications comparable to what is occurring naturally or in conventional breeding. Moreover, the Parliament seeks to limit category 1 NGT status to a limited positive list of ‘sustainability traits’”, a position not shared by the Council.
– Traceability and labelling for category 1 NGT plants and products: “The Parliament envisages mandatory traceability and labelling of all category 1 NGT plants and products through the entire food chain. (…) the Council would oblige only the labelling of category 1 NGT plant reproductive material.”
– Opt-out from cultivation of category 2 NGT plants: The Council wishes to allow Member States “to opt out from cultivation on their territories and to take measures to avoid the unintended presence in other products (‘coexistence measures’). The Parliament would remove the opt-out but make coexistence measures obligatory.”
– Measures to address the impact of patents on NGT plants: “The Parliament would like to exclude all NGT plants from patentability and amend patent legislation in this regard. The Council aims to increase the level of transparency regarding patents on NGT plants, encourage licensing on equitable conditions, and assist operators in navigating the plant intellectual property landscape, without amendments to patent legislation.”
What is at risk for the negotiators?
If the Commission doesn’t seek a compromise between Council and Parliament, the entire legislative process could collapse. Then New GMOs would continue to be subject to the existing GMO legislation. This would mean that risk assessment, traceability and labelling, obligatory detection methods and opt out for all New GMOs would remain.
At the trilogue end, the Council and Parliament must ultimately vote on the legislation. In the Council, 55% of the member states, in which 65% of the EU population live, must agree, in the Parliament there needs to be a simple majority of the members. If the required majorities are not achieved, i.e. if the Council or the Parliament or both reject the new legislation, the main negotiators – EPP’s Jessica Polfjärd and the presidency in office - will suffer a considerable loss of reputation. Nobody will want to risk that, so they will pay very close attention to the red lines of those they represent.
ENGA continues to call for labelling, traceability, detection methods, opt out and co-existence measures so that those in the food industry that wish to continue to produce without GMOs can do so and so that consumers can still exercise their right to know what is in the food that they eat.