On 16 June 2026, the Greens/EFA group tabled five amendments to the European Parliament's second-reading recommendation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), challenging the deregulatory approach of the file. The amendments would ban patents on NGT biological material, mandate traceability and labelling for all NGT-derived food and feed, and require the highest level of environmental scrutiny for NGT plants capable of persisting or spreading in the environment.
The proposals also seek to ensure breeders' full access to NGT genetic material and mandate reliable detection methods. These amendments, if adopted, would significantly tighten regulatory oversight compared to the Council's position and the Commission's original proposal, prioritising farmer autonomy, consumer transparency, and environmental protection over industry deregulation. The amendments are proposed by Martin Häusling on behalf of the Greens/EFA group and are still to be examined and voted on in plenary. They represent a direct challenge to the core premise of the legislation, which aims to ease market access for certain NGT plants. The most contested aspects addressed are patentability, traceability and labelling, and environmental risk assessment. The Greens argue that without these safeguards, the legislation would increase corporate control over seeds and restrict farmers' and breeders' access. The amendments explicitly reference the existing GMO regulatory framework (Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003) for traceability and labelling, and call for a precautionary approach to environmental risk assessment. The outcome of the plenary vote will determine whether the Parliament's position shifts toward stricter regulation or maintains the deregulatory path set by the Council.
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