ASTA Welcomes EU Vote Advancing Plant Breeding Innovation

Alexandria, VA—June 17, 2026— The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) today welcomed the European Parliament’s adoption of the European Union’s regulation on plants produced by New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). The vote, taken at second reading, completes the EU legislative process and clears the way for the implementation process to start.

The EU NGT legislation is a positive step towards enabling innovation in support of global food security and creating a more predictable global environment for the breeders and seed companies that work across borders to bring these products to market.  The U.S. and EU seed sectors are deeply interconnected, linked through trade, research collaboration, and shared innovation pipelines. This milestone further strengthens and modernizes that relationship. As regulatory approaches become more aligned, they will help maintain and deepen transatlantic cooperation, ensuring that innovation can move efficiently from discovery to farmers’ fields on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Plant breeding innovation does not stand still,” said Andy LaVigne, President and CEO of ASTA. “Scientific discovery continues to expand the tools available to breeders and the opportunities to address challenges facing farmers and consumers. The European Union’s action is an important step towards recognizing the evolving nature of plant breeding and enabling continued innovation.”

ASTA has long championed science-based, risk-proportionate policy for plant breeding innovation, in the United States, alongside our partners in Europe, and in the rest of the world. Coordinated regulatory approaches across major markets reduce trade friction and protect the freedom to operate, ensuring that farmers everywhere can access the latest tools. ASTA congratulates our European partners on this milestone and will continue to advocate for policies that deliver lasting value for our members and the growers they serve.

The American seed industry looks forward to continuing our collaboration with our European partners on the swift implementation of NGT framework to support a smooth rollout and to further reinforce the strong and enduring transatlantic seed relationship.

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