Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Defra Publishes Precision-Bred Tomato Release Notice (PBR/26/005) for England

Defra has published a schedule 1 notice for a CRISPR-edited tomato plant, allowing its first precision-bred field release in England from late May 2026 under the UK’s precision breeding regulations. This marks further operational use of the precision breeding regime for plant trials, signalling potential future applications but creating no new obligations beyond the notifier’s duty to avoid marketing before confirmation.

13 May 2026, 12:38gov.ukUnited Kingdom

EU Commission Renews Authorisation for GM Cotton T304-40 Under Regulation 1829/2003

In March 2026 the European Commission renewed, for a further ten years, the EU authorisation to place on the market food, feed and other products containing or produced from genetically modified cotton T304-40 under the GM food and feed framework. This maintains existing GM cotton T304-40 supply chains into the EU but keeps strict traceability, labelling (including “not for cultivation”) and environmental monitoring obligations in place for agri-food and feed businesses using these products.

12 May 2026, 18:26eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

UK DEFRA Consults on Wild Bioscience GMO Release Application 26/R55/01

Defra has opened a consultation on Wild Bioscience Ltd’s application to deliberately release genetically modified wheat in the UK (reference 26/R55/01), with responses due by 27 June 2026. The outcome will shape expectations for environmental risk assessment and stakeholder scrutiny of future GMO field releases in UK agriculture.

12 May 2026, 15:39gov.ukUnited Kingdom

EU/EFSA Reopens Consultation On Post-Market Monitoring For GM Soybean MON 87769

EFSA has amended its scientific opinion on the renewal authorisation of GM soybean MON 87769 under EU GM food and feed law, and the European Commission has reopened a targeted public consultation on the updated post-market monitoring section until 11 June 2026. Food and feed operators using this GM soybean should monitor the consultation outcome because any refinements to the post-market monitoring plan could adjust ongoing reporting and surveillance expectations, even though EFSA’s overall safety conclusion remains unchanged.

12 May 2026, 15:23food.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

European Commission Clarifies Equivalence And Labelling For Category 1 NGT Plants

In May 2026 the European Commission answered an MEP question by confirming the scientific basis and regulatory safeguards for treating certain “category 1” plants obtained by new genomic techniques as equivalent to conventional plants under the draft NGT regulation. For companies in seeds, crops, and food and feed, this clarifies that these NGT varieties would be exempt from additional GMO risk assessment but remain subject to conventional‑plant rules, a monitoring programme, and public register and seed‑labelling transparency, informing how they design future breeding and segregation strategies.

12 May 2026, 15:10europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

UK DEFRA Invites Representations On Gene-Edited Wheat Field Trial Application From Wild Bioscience Ltd (Ref 26/R55/01)

In May 2026 the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs opened consultation on Wild Bioscience Ltd’s application to conduct multi-site field trials of gene-edited wheat (reference 26/R55/01), inviting public representations on potential environmental risks by 27 June 2026. This development signals continued expansion of UK GMO field research under existing Environmental Protection Act and GMO deliberate release rules, and stakeholders should assess implications for crop innovation, coexistence, and future commercial approvals during the consultation window.

12 May 2026, 15:08gov.ukUnited Kingdom

EU Council Presidency Issues Second Compromise Text on Amendments to GMO and Organ Transplant Directives

Council negotiators have issued a second presidency compromise text on an EU directive revising the GMO Deliberate Release Directive and the Organs Directive to address placing genetically modified micro-organisms on the market and organ processing. If adopted, this biotech-focused reform will reshape approval and oversight frameworks for GMM-based products and organ processing in the EU, so stakeholders in biotechnology, healthcare and transplant services should track how the final text defines scope, risk controls and compliance timelines.

11 May 2026, 12:00eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

EFSA Opens Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Novel Food Risk Assessment And Admits Carvacrol And GM Maize Dossiers

EFSA has validated a novel food application for gamma-aminobutyric acid, admitted a carvacrol pesticide dossier and logged a GM maize renewal request into its Open EFSA register in May 2026. These early-stage assessments signal potential future authorisations or conditions for novel ingredients, pesticides and GM crops in the EU, giving manufacturers and food chain operators advance visibility on regulatory risk and timelines.

11 May 2026, 11:42open.efsa.europa.euEuropean Union

Vermont S.323 Moves to House Ways and Means, Proposing Pesticide, Seed, and Hemp Regulatory Changes

In May 2026, Vermont’s omnibus agriculture bill S.323, which bundles significant changes to pesticide applicator licensing, seed labelling and reporting, hemp regulation, and farm permitting, passed the Senate and advanced to the House Ways and Means Committee. If enacted with its current text from July 2026, these reforms would tighten data and oversight requirements for pesticide-treated and genetically engineered seeds, bring many hemp-derived cannabinoids under stricter cannabis-style controls, and reshape compliance duties and costs for farms, agri‑businesses, and energy developers operating in Vermont.

10 May 2026, 19:19legislature.vermont.govUnited States

EU Parliament ENVI Amendments To Second-Reading Recommendation On New Genomic Techniques Regulation For Plants And Food/Feed

In May 2026, the European Parliament’s environment committee tabled 37 amendments to its second-reading recommendation on the proposed EU regulation for plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed, which would also amend the Official Controls Regulation. These amendments press for stricter rules on patentability, traceability, labelling and safeguards for NGT plants, signalling potential last-minute changes to compliance expectations for seed, farming and food operators before the regulation is finalised.

9 May 2026, 19:03europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

EU PAFF GM Food and Feed Committee Advances GM Crop Files and Backs Ending Five GM Cotton Renewals

At its 27 April 2026 meeting, the EU PAFF GM Food and Feed Committee recorded no-opinion votes on three draft Commission Implementing Decisions for GM maize and soybean events, gave a favourable opinion on terminating renewal procedures for five GM cotton authorisations at the applicant’s request, and noted EFSA’s now positive risk assessment for GM oilseed rape MS11. These outcomes move key GM crop authorisation and renewal files into the Appeal Committee phase and signal that certain cotton events are likely to exit the active EU authorisation framework, increasing the importance of tracking forthcoming Commission decisions and planning for potential changes in product portfolios, labelling and sourcing.

9 May 2026, 14:22food.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

EFSA Open Adds Zinc and Selenium Feed Additive Dossiers; GMO Maize Applications Removed From Ongoing Work

EFSA’s Open EFSA platform has added a new zinc chelate feed additive dossier and updated a group of selenium feed additive dossiers, while several GMO maize and food improvement agent applications have disappeared from the ongoing work list in early May 2026. These pipeline changes indicate active EU risk assessment ahead of potential authorisation or renewal decisions, so feed and food operators using these additives or affected GMOs should monitor EFSA outputs and prepare for possible adjustments to permitted uses and conditions.

9 May 2026, 13:26open.efsa.europa.euEuropean Union

EFSA Cannot Conclude On Safety Of Glutaminase From GM Bacillus subtilis Strain Glu3-3

In April 2026 the EFSA Panel on Food Enzymes issued a scientific opinion on a glutaminase food enzyme produced by a genetically modified Bacillus subtilis strain, concluding it could not determine the enzyme’s safety because the strain carries multiple antimicrobial resistance genes and production-strain DNA could not be ruled out in the final preparation. For food and ingredient manufacturers this leaves EU authorisation for this specific glutaminase uncertain, signalling a need to recheck any use of this enzyme in product pipelines and to closely monitor forthcoming EU risk-management decisions on AMR-related food enzymes.

8 May 2026, 17:56efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.comEuropean Union

EU EFSA Issues Glycerol (E 422) Acute-Exposure Opinion And Updates GMO And Feed Additive Dossiers

In May 2026 EFSA published a scientific opinion on acute exposure to the food additive glycerol (E 422) in beverages and updated associated GMO maize and feed-additive dossiers in its Open EFSA register. These assessments signal potential future adjustments to EU risk-management decisions on beverages and feed flavourings while confirming that key GM maize authorisation and renewal processes remain on track with deadlines in late 2026.

8 May 2026, 17:40open.efsa.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Publishes Expert Report on Regulation of Engineered Living Materials

In April 2026 the EU published an expert report for the European Innovation Council on how existing EU GMO, food and product-safety law applies to Engineered Living Materials and what regulatory options could govern their future market entry. The report warns that without clearer, faster and more predictable authorisation and liability frameworks, Europe risks underinvestment in ELM-based innovations, so regulators and investors should anticipate pressure for more harmonised guidance across health, construction and environmental applications.

8 May 2026, 09:15webgate.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

European Parliament Objects to Renewal of Authorisation for GM Maize NK603

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution opposing the European Commission’s draft decision to renew EU market authorisation for genetically modified maize NK603, highlighting unresolved health, environmental and democratic concerns around herbicide-tolerant GM crops. While not legally binding, the resolution increases political pressure for tighter scrutiny of GMOs, potential reform of EU GMO decision-making and closer alignment between trade, pesticide-use commitments and long-term food and feed safety.

8 May 2026, 08:29eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

Switzerland FOEN Authorises Field Trial With Cisgenic GM Potatoes

In May 2026, Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment authorised Agroscope to run a multi‑year cisgenic GM potato field trial on its protected site near Zurich under strict containment conditions. This controlled release tests disease- and climate‑resilient varieties that could cut fungicide use, signalling how Swiss GMO and plant‑protection policy may evolve ahead of the current cultivation moratorium ending in 2030.

8 May 2026, 06:56bafu.admin.chSwitzerland

European Parliament Schedules Second-Reading Vote On Proposed New Genomic Techniques Regulation For 19 May 2026

The European Parliament’s draft plenary agenda schedules a second-reading vote for 19 May 2026 on the proposed EU regulation governing plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their derived food and feed. This vote is a pivotal step toward a new framework for NGT-derived products in the EU, so seed, ag-biotech and food/feed companies should closely watch the outcome and be ready to adapt compliance and product strategies as the final text and timelines are confirmed.

8 May 2026, 06:55europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

European Parliament Receives Council First-Reading Position on New Genomic Techniques Plants

On 30 April 2026, the European Parliament formally recorded receipt of the Council’s first‑reading position on the proposed EU regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques, triggering a three‑month period from 1 May 2026 for Parliament to adopt its own position. This fixes a clear decision-making window for the politically sensitive NGT file, helping plant breeders, agri‑food companies and other stakeholders anticipate when EU rules on placing NGT-derived plant varieties and their food and feed on the market are likely to be finalised.

6 May 2026, 07:27europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

Council Working Party to Discuss Proposal Amending Directives on Genetically Modified Microorganisms (2001/18/EC) and the Processing of Organs (2010/53/EU)

On 8 May 2026, the EU Council Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices will examine a second Presidency compromise text on the proposal to amend the GMO (2001/18/EC) and organ transplant (2010/53/EU) directives. This indicates that Council negotiations on biotech and organ-processing rules are advancing, so life sciences and transplant stakeholders should track potential future changes affecting the use of genetically modified microorganisms in organ preservation and related medical applications.

5 May 2026, 14:19data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union