In light of the new European Commission and Parliament configurations, as well as fresh strategies for the agricultural sector, intensified and collaborative efforts are crucial moving forward.
The National Association of Plant Breeders (ANOVE) organized a conference during its annual meeting in mid-March to delve into the regulations impacting plant breeding within the EU legislative context, especially in the face of the challenges presented by the new European Commission and Parliament.
The event gathered experts from both institutional and business sectors to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry in the European context. Anna Armengol from the European Commission and Silvia Capdevila from the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU (REPER) both provided insights into the EU’s legislative process. While complex, they emphasized that this framework allows for inclusive and participatory stakeholder analysis.
Anna Armengol outlined the Commission’s initiatives in the agricultural sector, highlighting its vision, though the translation into concrete legislative measures is still uncertain. The sector expressed concern about the pace of regulatory developments currently under review by the EU. Silvia Capdevila focused on the REPER’s work during the Spanish presidency, specifically regarding the gene editing proposal, which was prioritized and nearly reached an agreement by the end of Spain’s presidency, according to a press release.
César González from Euroseeds stressed the ongoing discussions around regulations that impact key areas of plant breeding: regulations on plant reproductive material (PRM) production and marketing, gene editing techniques (NGTs) as breeding tools, and the revision of the plant variety protection system. He pointed out that this is a particularly complex period, coinciding with significant institutional and strategic changes in the EU. Reaching agreements within the diverse political spectrum of the EU is difficult, as it requires balancing a wide array of sensitivities, which delays the process.
Alejandro Gutiérrez from Cooperativas Agroalimentarias de España highlighted the role of the producer sector in EU regulatory processes, represented by COPA-COGECA, which supports EU professional organizations and cooperatives. This body plays a crucial role in analyzing regulatory information and making it accessible to farmers, helping them evaluate the impact of proposed regulations. However, Gutiérrez noted that discussions with the Commission had become less effective, partly due to the elimination of crop committees. ANOVE sought to gauge the perspectives of Spanish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) currently serving on the EP’s agriculture and environment committees, to assess the likely trajectory of legislative proposals impacting the sector within the EU’s new institutional and strategic framework. Carmen Crespo and Esther Herranz, MEPs from the People’s Party (PP), and Jorge Buxadé, MEP from VOX, participated in these discussions.
All participants expressed strong support for agricultural innovation as a vital tool for addressing the sector’s challenges. Carmen Crespo regretted that, compared to environmental funding in Spain, the Next Generation funds dedicated to agriculture were relatively small. Esther Esteban defended support for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and stressed the importance of scientific integrity, advocating for NGTs as well as the proven effectiveness of GMOs. Jorge Buxadé emphasized that profitability and competitiveness must be part of the NGT debate, as these tools are available to our global competitors. He also criticized the lack of an impact study on the Green Deal. There was broad agreement that while the Commission’s agricultural vision seemed promising, it lacked specific proposals to transform this vision into concrete policies for the sector’s benefit and growth.
José Antonio Sobrino, Secretary-General for Means of Production and OEVV-MAPA, commended the Ministry’s team for their work on advancing critical files such as gene editing, particularly with the Polish presidency. He shared that significant progress had been made on the NGT proposal based on the presidency’s document.
