EU Parliament to cast decisive vote on gene-editing for food – consumers need lawmakers to hold the line
Brussels, BE/June 11, 2026 – The European Parliament will hold its second-reading vote on the New Genomic Techniques (NGT) regulation between 15 and 18 June, in a make-or-break moment for European food policy. The regulation, which distinguishes gene-edited crops equivalent to conventional varieties from those requiring a streamlined but dedicated authorisation, has broad cross-party backing following a trilogue deal endorsed by the Parliament’s ENVI-IMCO committee in February by 96 votes to 20.
The S&D Group has tabled 16 last-minute amendments before the plenary vote, focused on patent licensing frameworks, public databases and traceability requirements. If adopted, these amendments would trigger a conciliation procedure, potentially delaying final adoption by a year or more and leaving European farmers unable to access tools already available to competitors in the United States, Japan and Argentina.
“This week’s vote is the final hurdle for a regulation that could mean cheaper, more resilient food on European tables,” said Bill Wirtz, Senior Policy Analyst at the Consumer Choice Center. “Gene-edited crops developed through new genomic techniques (NGT) are scientifically indistinguishable from conventionally bred varieties. They are needed to tackle food affordability, food security, and climate change. Every month of delay costs European farmers their competitiveness and costs consumers their choice. Parliament should ratify the trilogue deal it already endorsed in committee and reject amendments designed to relitigate a settled process. Consumers cannot afford to wait another legislative cycle.”