KWS welcomes European Parliament’s final approval of New Genomic Techniques (NGT) Regulation

Einbeck, 17.06.2026

Seed specialist KWS endorses the formal approval of the EU Regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) following the adoption of the proposal by the European Council and the European Parliament. With this step, the EU has established a modern and science-based framework that supports innovation in plant breeding while ensuring transparency.

“We consider the adoption of the NGT Regulation an important milestone for the EU’s ability to remain competitive in plant breeding innovation,” says Dr. Felix Büchting, CEO of KWS. “For breeders, farmers, and value-chain partners, this new framework creates clear conditions for applying modern breeding approaches that help address plant health challenges and contribute to more resource efficient agriculture.”

“Until now, genome editing at KWS has been confined to research activities. With the new regulatory framework in place, we will now be able to leverage the technology for product development including first field trials,” explains Dr. Thomas Ehrhardt, Head of Global Research and Services.

The adoption of the NGT Regulation provides the necessary basis and confidence for breeders, reinforcing the European Union’s framework for investment in innovative plant varieties and enabling continued progress in meeting the needs of farmers and growers. KWS expects the forthcoming secondary legislation to bring clarity on details and feasible implementation processes.

“As a company with 170 years of experience in plant breeding, we rely on a broad and continuously evolving toolbox of methods to improve our varieties,” Dr. Felix Büchting adds. “The ability to add new tools to this toolbox is essential; NGTs complement existing breeding approaches and offer additional potential to advance traits that benefit both farmers and the environment.”

KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. Approximately 5,000 employees* in more than 70 countries generated revenue of around 1.68 billion euros in the 2024/2025 fiscal year. For 170 years, KWS has been managed as a family-owned company, operating autonomously and independently. Its core activities include plant breeding, production, and the sale of sugar beet, corn, cereal, vegetable, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds. KWS employs state-of-the-art plant breeding methods to increase farmers’ yields and further improve plants’ resistance to diseases, pests, and abiotic stress. To achieve this goal, the company invested approximately 350 million euros in research and development during the past fiscal year.

*excluding seasonal workers