"EU Considers Loosening Regulations on GM Crops to Address Climate Change and Food Shortages"

The European Union is considering relaxing its legislation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and genetic engineering in order to promote the development of more resistant crops and ensure food security. The proposed draft legislation would classify certain genetically modified plants produced with new genomic techniques (NGTs) as NGT-1, exempting them from existing regulations on GMOs if they do not contain genetic material from other organisms and do not differ significantly from conventionally bred plant varieties. The legislation aims to differentiate between plants grown using new techniques and those grown with classic plant-breeding methods. Experts have expressed mostly positive opinions on the draft legislation, although some have raised concerns about the scientific basis and practicality of the proposed criteria. The legislation would exclude herbicide-resistant NGT plants from exemptions, which would continue to be regulated under existing GMO laws.