G/SPS/N/GBR/57  
15 April 2024  
(24-3123) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Precision bred plants, food, and feed  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft copy of The Genetic Technology (Precision 
Breeding) (England) Regulations 2024 . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  31 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/GBR/24_02613_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The notified regulation brings into force parts of the Genetic 
Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 to establish a regulatory framework for 
organisms produced through precision breeding technologies, like gene editing, where the 
genetic changes could have arisen through traditional breeding, to ensure plant, animal 
and human health and welfare is safeguarded. This will mean significantly reduced 
requirements compared to genetically modified organism (GMO) legislation. This comprises 
of two domestic notification processes for the deli berate release and marketing of Precision 
Bred Organisms (PBOs) into the environment and an authorisation process for the food 
and feed derived from PBOs. The draft regulations establish information requirements and 
a tiered approach for authorising PBOs. They also establish the requirement for public 
registers and enforcement provisions, comparatively less burdensome than currently under 
GMO legislation.  
Under these new regulations, PBOs will no longer be regulated as GMOs in England. 
Instead, qualifying p lants, 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, animal and human health, the environment 
and con sumer information while reducing trade barriers and facilitating trade.  
This new regulatory framework will ensure that levels of known toxins and allergens 
remain within acceptable levels for the protection of human and animal health.  
We are notifying othe r elements of these measures under the Technical Barriers to Trade 
Agreement.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other dama ge from pests.   G/SPS/N/GBR/57  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international st andard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
− Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 (legislation.gov.uk)  
− Impact Assessment - Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill (parliament.uk)  
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : October 2024  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 10 July 2024  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : April 2025  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 14 June 2024  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
avail able) of other body:   
UK WTO SPS National Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
Seacole Building  
2 Marsham St  
London SW1P 4DF  
E-mail: uksps@defra.gov.uk  
Website:  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/departm ent-for-environment -
food-rural-affairs  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
UK WTO SPS National Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
Seacole Building  
2 Marsham St  
London SW1P 4DF  
E-mail: uksps@defra.gov.uk  
Website:  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department -for-environment -
food-rural-affairs