Under new EU rules, gene-edited crops without foreign DNA are regulated like conventionally bred, qualifying Cibus traits such as disease resistance and pod-shatter reduction for a fast-track Category-1 pathway. Cibus’s platform can deliver multi-trait plants in as little as 12 months, cutting fungicide and pesticide use.
Under the new EU framework, gene-edited crops with no foreign DNA will be regulated as conventionally bred Category-1 products, granting Cibus traits such as disease resistance and pod-shatter reduction a fast-track pathway and avoiding GMO restrictions.
Cibus’s proprietary platform edits a plant’s native genes to introduce multiple valuable traits in a single cycle, delivering finished, trait-intact lines in about 12 months compared to several years for conventional breeding, greatly accelerating time-to-market.
The decision opens Europe’s seed market to Cibus-developed traits that reduce fungicide and pesticide use. UK field trials of pod-shatter reduction in winter oilseed rape have been completed, and Cibus expects similar regulatory shifts globally to expand its licensing opportunities.
