GBR/32
WTO/SPS
GB Vereinigtes Königreich
  • 65 - Landwirtschaft
  • 67 - Lebensmitteltechnologie
2023-07-01
2023-05-03

Precision bred animals and plants, and food and feed produced from precision bred animals and plants

Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill. Language(s): English. Number of pages:

The primary objective of the Bill is to establish a framework for a new, proportionate, regulatory regime for plants and animals that are produced using modern biotechnologies which could have resulted from traditional breeding or natural processes ('precision bred plants and animals'), and the food and feed products produced from these.

These provisions will only take practical effect once regulations are made under the delegated powers in the Bill setting out the detail of the new regulatory regime. Further notifications will be made prior to these measures coming into effect. The territorial extent of the Bill is England only, however as a result of the operation of existing UK legislation (the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020) which are produced in or imported into England are able to be marketed in Scotland and Wales, with specific arrangements applying for Northern Ireland.

The key purposes of this new primary legislation are to:

1.    Enable regulations to establish a framework for a new science-based authorisation process for food and feed products produced from precision bred plants and animals;

2.    Remove precision bred plants and animals produced through precision breeding technologies from the existing regulatory requirements applicable to release into the environment and marketing of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms); this will be phased, first plants, followed by animals at a later date;

3.    Introduce two new notification systems for product developers to inform Defra of the release of precision bred plants and animals for both research and marketing purposes in England. The information collected will be published on a public register on GOV.UK;

4.    Establish a framework for a proportionate regulatory system for precision bred vertebrate animals, to ensure animal health and welfare is safeguarded. We will not be introducing changes to the regulations for precision bred animals until this system is in place.