Will European agriculture continue to be one of the most efficient and quality-driven sectors in the world? This is a legitimate question, at a time when a succession of unprecedented crises is undermining our autonomy and competitiveness in the agri-food sector. There is a definite risk of an overall decline in European agricultural production. The global market is becoming highly competitive and climate change is taking a long-term hold. At the same time, the agri-food sector must continue to respond to changing expectations from society at large in order to provide affordable, quality products. 

In her State of the Union Address, the President of the European Commission, Ursula VON DER LEYEN, reiterated that: “The European Union must reassert its power, its sovereignty and its confidence in its capacity to carry out research and promote innovation”. There is an urgent need for action to provide farmers with the means to continue to fulfil their mission of feeding our planet, whilst at the same time remaining true to the course that Europe has set to guarantee sustainable food sovereignty: To “produce more and better using fewer resources”. Whereas this target unites all the players in the agricultural and agri-food sectors, its success depends on two prerequisites: major investment in innovation, particularly in genetics, and defining a coherent political and regulatory framework.

Innovation in plant breeding is at a historic turning point 

Thanks to public and private research efforts (seed companies reinvest up to 20% of their turnover in R&D), Europe has become a world champion, recognised for its plant breeding activities, its ability to supply seeds and the quality of its agricultural production. 

New genomic techniques (NGT) have brought about major changes in selection methods. By acting in a targeted way on the plant genome and without introducing foreign DNA, they represent a faster means of obtaining plants that meet the challenges facing agriculture and society, such as resistance to disease and pests, or greater tolerance of climatic variations. These new technologies offer additional tools that will enable the various sectors to achieve the transition to resilient, sustainable agricultural systems (reduced use of plant protection products, fertilisers and water consumption, improved protein levels, fatty acid balances and phosphorus digestibility, etc.).

However, the relevant European regulatory environment has remained unchanged for 20 years and does not provide the means to include these latest technological innovations in the plant breeder’s toolbox. 

Europe urgently needs a clear regulatory framework 

The members of the Collective in favour of varietal innovation welcome the draft regulation presented by the European Commission on 5 July to provide a regulatory framework for NGTs. After 4 years of intensive work and consultations with stakeholders, this project is based on the findings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), which have demonstrated that these new techniques pose no risk to human or animal health nor to the environment.

The Collective in favour of varietal innovation endorses the Commission’s view that an adapted procedure should be implemented for NGT1 plants recognised as being equivalent to plants obtained by conventional selection methods.

However, it is crucially important that these regulations must be based on scientific and objective criteria in order to meet the health and sustainability requirements set by European agricultural policies. They will need to be well defined and provide for the non-discriminatory marketing of varieties derived from these techniques, in order to help farmers in their efforts to achieve the transition.

The use of these techniques must also be traceable, with a specific reference in the plant variety catalogue to provide farmers with the information they need to make informed choices. 

While a number of other regions in the world have already passed legislation to promote access to these innovations, Europe now has the opportunity to strengthen the breeder’s toolbox so as to meet the ambitious objectives of the European Green Deal and food sovereignty. Last December, France’s Minister of Agriculture Marc FESNEAU reaffirmed his ” unreserved support ” for this project.

The European Parliament must now support the introduction of new regulations before the next European elections, to avoid losing precious extra months as transitions gain momentum. In this respect, the votes in the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment on 24 January and then in the plenary session in February are major milestones for the future of European agriculture.

Our agri-food industry is an opportunity for Europe. So let’s give ourselves the means to maintain the performance and quality of our agriculture.  

You can find the list of signatories below.