EU / Trilogue on NGTs: "The sustainability issue is still challenging." (EU official / Council)

'Parliament showed a willingness to compromise on patents. The sustainability issue remains challenging, but we agreed to mandate a technical level to explore options', declared an EU official following the second NGT trilogue on 14/10/2025.

Two more political trilogues are scheduled for later this year: one in mid-November and one in December. Technical-level trilogues will take place in between.
The aim is to reach an agreement between the Council and Parliament before the end of the Danish Presidency mandate on 31/12/2025.

The European Commission issued the proposal for a regulation on plants obtained by NGTs on 05/07/2025. The Parliament's position had been adopted on 24/04/2024. Representatives of EU Member States reached a negotiating mandate for the EU Council on 14/03/2025, and negotiations began on 06/05/2025.

The positions of the Parliament and the Council are aligned on:

• a two-tier system regarding GMO (genetically modified organisms) rules: NGT1s are exempt from GMO rules, while NGT2s are not.
• Exclusion of NGTs from organic production.NGT 2 products require risk…