EU Proposes Relaxing Rules on Gene-Edited Crops to Address Food Shortages and Climate Change

EU is considering revising rules to loosen restrictions on gene-edited crops to address food security threats from climate change and shortages.
The proposed changes would provide farmers access to crops resistant to drought or pests that require less pesticides and fertilizer and consumers food with better nutrition or less allergens.
New gene editing techniques that make changes in a less disruptive way than traditional GMOs would be exempt from regulations and labeling while others would still be treated as GMOs.
Crops from transgenesis, using genetic material from non-crossable species, would remain under current GMO rules.
The proposal aims to help EU food production adapt to challenges like climate change but still needs approval from EU countries and parliament.