Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - United Kingdom - Organisms produced through precision breeding technologies

NOTIFICATION

The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6

 

1.

Notifying Member: UNITED KINGDOM

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

UK TBT Enquiry Point

Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations

Department for Business and Trade

Old Admiralty Building

London

SW1A 2DY

tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Precision bred plants, food and feed.

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) (England) Regulations 2024; (31 page(s), in English)

6.

Description of content: The notified regulations bring into force parts of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 to establish a regulatory framework for organisms produced through precision breeding technologies, like gene editing, where the genetic changes could have arisen through traditional breeding. This comprises of two notification processes for the deliberate release and marketing of Precision Bred Organisms (PBOs) and an authorisation process for the food and feed derived from PBOs. The draft regulations establish reduced information requirements and a tiered approach for authorising PBOs. They also establish the requirement for public registers and enforcement provisions, comparatively less burdensome than currently under GMO legislation.

We are notifying other elements of these measures under the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Under these new regulations, PBOs will no longer be regulated as GMOs in England. Instead, qualifying plants, food and feed produced through precision breeding technologies will be subject to a new proportionate, science-based authorisation process. This process will maintain appropriate protections on plant health, the environment and consumer information while reducing trade barriers and facilitating trade.

This new regulatory framework will ensure that levels of known toxins and allergens remain within acceptable levels for the protection of human and animal health.; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of animal or plant life or health; Protection of the environment; Reducing trade barriers and facilitating trade

8.

Relevant documents:

Draft copy of The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) (England) Regulations 2024

Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 (legislation.gov.uk)

Impact Assessment - Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill (parliament.uk)

9.

Proposed date of adoption: October 2024

Proposed date of entry into force: April 2025

10.

Final date for comments: 60 days from notification

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

UK TBT Enquiry Point

Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations

Department for Business and Trade

Old Admiralty Building

London

SW1A 2DY

tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk