Two scientists, Vladimir and Estragon, chat every afternoon in the coffee room next to their lab, venting their frustration at the EU’s delay in unfettering gene editing of farm crops. Days and weeks and years fly by; nothing happens. Vladimir exclaims they must act, given the world’s need for drought and disease-tolerant crops. Echoing Beckett’s famous play Waiting for Godot, he shouts, “Let us make the most of it before it is too late!”

Vladimir’s cry of despair may finally be heard. Over the summer, the European Commission proposed to loosen rules on gene editing. Despite the catchy title of “Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Plants Obtained by Certain New Genomic Techniques and Their Food and Feed, and Amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625,” the proposal represents a potential revolution – and a key test of Europe’s attitude to science.

Until now, EU regulations effectively banned genetically modified crops, with critics raising fears of Frankenstein foods. This opposition has become equated with mounting European resistance to science. In contrast, the US has moved fast ahead, even European companies such as Bayer and Syngenta develop much of the technology.

The new proposal keeps restrictions on genetically modified crops (GMO) – while creating a new category of permitted gene editing. Targeted gene-editing technologies such as the Nobel-prizing winning CRISPR-Cas9 allow scientists to develop plants that resist extreme weather and offer improved nutritional value. The new EU proposal would allow plants grown by CRISPR-Cas9 editing. Scientists, breeders, seed companies, bioeconomy stakeholders, and their organizations across Europe are delighted.

Under the EU proposal, crop varieties would be divided into two categories. So-called NGT1 crops would be quasi-equivalent to conventionally bred ones; gene-edited plants within the NGT1 category are anyway indistinguishable from those produced by intentional or natural random mutagenesis. NGT2 seeds with a higher degree of gene editing would face continued GMO-like tough standards.

The gene editing proposal is moving fast through the Brussels machinery and could become law before the upcoming European elections in June 2024. However, several obstacles must first be overcome.

One difficult issue is organic foods. Although gene editing could help European organic farmers fight fungi without nasties such as copper sulphate, as well as increase yield and improve quality, the current proposal forbids organic farmers from using the technique. Many organic farmers, on a grass-roots level (quite literally), wish to use genetic editing, even if the European Organic Food Association remains opposed.

Political divisions and polarization still could cause delays. Some coalition governments remain divided on the issue. Others use populist arguments for “protecting” their traditional agriculture from gene editing.

Another risk is that the new law will come into force but, but end up saddled with long, drawn-out approval process. Ponderous field trial processes as well as traceability and labelling requirements would undermine effectiveness. If this becomes the case, Europe will become not only the world’s largest importer of gene edited corn, soy, and rapeseed.

A disproportionate regulatory burden would slow or stop gene editing development and their introduction on the Continent, while the UK and US will go forward. Europe would then increasingly lose its farms and traditional landscapes, together with food sovereignty. And desperate European Vladimirs and Estragons will end up developing their innovations elsewhere in the world.

Alan H. Schulman is a Professor, Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Head of Research, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, and a past president of the European Plant Science Organisation. 

Bandwidth is CEPA’s online journal dedicated to advancing transatlantic cooperation on tech policy. All opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or views of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis.