In a statement published on Thursday 20 October, scientists from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) proposed six criteria for assessing the risks associated with plants produced using the genomic techniques of directed mutagenesis, cisgenesis and intragenesis.
The European Commission sought this scientific advice to support its ongoing policy initiative on new genomic techniques. The Commission’s proposal on legislation for plants produced by certain new genomic techniques is expected in the second quarter of 2023.
Some plants produced with these new genomic techniques may show only minor changes that could also occur in nature or in conventional breeding processes. Other plants, on the other hand, may show multiple and extensive modifications similar to those produced by established genetic modification techniques used over the past two decades.
EU Agriculture Ministers recently stressed the need to legislate on new genomic techniques (see EUROPE 13023/2).
Link to the EFSA statement: https://aeur.eu/f/3qz (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)