G/TBT/N/GBR/83  
12 April 2024  
(24-3086) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
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 frame work 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 Preci sion 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 reg isters 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.  G/TBT/N/GBR/83  
 
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  7. Objective and ration ale, 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 e nsure 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 trad e 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  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/GBR/24_02595_00_e.pdf