Crop gene-editing plan ‘is scientifically justified’

EU food regulator confirms proposal to deregulate some gene-edited crops is based on best evidence

The European Commission’s plan for the EU to reduce its regulatory oversight of some gene-edited crops “is scientifically justified”, the bloc’s food regulator has confirmed.

The plan, which is being considered by EU politicians, is intended to make the EU’s decades-old rules on genetically modified foods better reflect the reality of more than 20 years of scientific progress since they were last updated. This in turn is intended to enable the EU to benefit from crops with better traits, such as increased resistance to pests and drought.