Statement: EU Commission study on new breeding technologies

Plants developed using these methods could have occurred naturally or using conventional breeding methods, as there is no introduction of foreign DNA. KWS therefore supports an adjustment of the EU Court ruling that plants developed with the help of these Genome Editing methods are no longer classified as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

We want to continue to be part of an open discussion on the future of new breeding methods. Therefore, we support the initiation of a process to consider options for adapting the current regulation of genome edited plants and to enable the design of a new legal framework in a timely manner.

All details regarding the EU Commission study are available here.

About KWS*
KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. More than 5,700 employees in 70 countries generated net sales of around €1.3 billion in fiscal 2019/2020. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for more than 160 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for corn, sugarbeet, cereals, vegetables, rapeseed and sunflowers. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested more than €200 million last fiscal year in research and development.

^{* All figures excluding the shares of the equity-accounted companies AGRELIANT GENETICS LLC., AGRELIANT GENETICS INC. and KENFENG – KWS SEEDS CO., LTD.}

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