Gene Editing and New Breeding Techniques:
Regulations, Ratings and Index
Agriculture
Human / Health
Gene Drives
Crops / Food
Animal
Regulations of gene editing and new breeding techniques (NBTs) worldwide are quickly evolving. Click on a country or region for more information on its regulatory status, what crops are approved or in development, and reactions from regional NGOs. The Gene Editing Index ratings represent their current status and will be updated as new regulations are approved.
Switzerland
Cuba
Switzerland
Cuba
Africa
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Central America
Chile
China
Colombia
Cuba
Cuba
Ecuador
European Union
India
Israel
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Paraguay
Russia
Southeast Asia
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Agriculture Gene Editing Index
Compare Regulatory Restrictions Country-to-Country
Gene editing regulations worldwide are evolving. The Gene Editing Index ratings below represent the current status of gene editing regulations and will be updated as new regulations are passed.
Ratings Guide
| Regulation Status | Rating |
|---|---|
| Determined: No Unique Regulations* | 10 |
| Lightly Regulated | 8 |
| Proposed: No Unique Regulations† | 6 |
| Ongoing Research, Regulations In Development | 5 |
| Highly Regulated | 4 |
| Mostly Prohibited | 2 |
| Limited Research, No Clear Regulations | 1 |
| Prohibited | 0 |
Lightly Regulated: Some or all types of gene editing are regulated more strictly than conventional agriculture, but not as strictly as transgenic GMOs.
*Determined: No Unique Regulations: Gene-edited crops that do not incorporate DNA from another species are regulated as conventional plants with no additional restrictions.
†Proposed: No Unique Regulations: Decrees under consideration for gene-edited crops that do not incorporate DNA from another species would no require unique regulations beyond current what is imposed on conventional breeding.
Crops/Food:
Gene editing of plants and food products. Research and development has mostly focused on disease resistance, drought resistance, and increasing yield, but more recent advances have produced low trans-fat oils and high-fiber grains.
Animals:
Gene editing of animals, not including animal research for human drugs and therapies. Fewer gene edited animals have been developed than gene edited crops, but scientists have developed hornless and heat-tolerant cattle and fast-growing tilapia may soon be the first gene edited animal to be consumed.
- * Approved crops
- ^ Field and/or lab trials ongoing
Rating by Country / Region
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| Country / Region | Food / Crops | Animals | Ag Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Norway | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Africa | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Japan | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Brazil | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Canada | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Russia | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Argentina | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Israel | 10 | 5 | 7.5 |
| Australia | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Switzerland | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| China | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| US | 10 | 4 | 7 |
| Chile | 10 | 1 | 5.5 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Central America | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Paraguay | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Uruguay | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| India | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| UK | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Mexico | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| EU | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Colombia | 10 | 1 | 5.5 |
| Country / Region | Crops / Food Rating |
|---|---|
| Australia^ | 4 |
| Canada* | 4 |
| Chile^ | 4 |
| Costa Rica^ | 4 |
| Israel^ | 4 |
| Japan* | 4 |
| Philippines* | 4 |
| United States* | 4 |
| Argentina^ | 3 |
| Bangladesh^ | 3 |
| Brazil* | 3 |
| China* | 3 |
| Colombia* | 3 |
| Ecuador | 3 |
| Ghana^ | 3 |
| Honduras | 3 |
| India^ | 3 |
| Indonesia | 3 |
| Kenya^ | 3 |
| Malawi^ | 3 |
| Nigeria^ | 3 |
| Pakistan | 3 |
| Paraguay | 3 |
| Uruguay | 3 |
| Cuba^ | 2 |
| Guatamala | 2 |
| El Salvador | 2 |
| European Union^ | 2 |
| Norway | 2 |
| South Africa^ | 2 |
| South Korea^ | 2 |
| Switzerland^ | 2 |
| United Kingdom^ | 2 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
| Mexico | 1 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
| Peru | 1 |
| Russia | 0 |
Approved Gene Edited / NBT Crops
Current list of foods developed by New Breeding
Techniques that are approved for sale.
Global gene editing regulatory landscape
The regulations on genetically engineered crops and animals are emerging out of the regulatory landscape developed for transgenic GMOs. Regulations across 34 countries where transgenic or gene edited crops and animals are commercially allowed (as of 12/19) are guided in part by two factors:
Whether the country has ratified the international agreement that took effect in 2003 that aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from biotechnology that may impact biological diversity, also taking into account potential risks to human health. It entered into force for those nations that signed it in 2003. It applies the ‘precautionary approach as contained in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The US, Canada, Australia and Chile and the Russian Federation have not signed the treaty.
Whether regulations are based on the genetic process used to create the trait (conventional, mutagenesis, transgenesis, gene editing, etc.) or the final product.Transgenic crops and animals (aka GMOs) are product regulated in many countries including the US and Canada, while the EU, India, China and others regulate based on how the product is made. There is almost an equal number of countries with product- and process-based regulations. It’s not clear how much this distinction matters. It’s somewhat true that countries with product-based regulation have more crops approved and the approval process is more streamlined, but there are contradictions. For example, Brazil and Argentina have emerged as GMO super powers using different regulatory concepts, while there is no GMO commercial cultivation in Japan, North Korea, and the Russian Federation, which employ product-based regulations. How this will effect gene editing regulations is also unclear. For example, Japan, which has no commercialized GMOs, is emerging as a leader in the introduction of gene edited crops.
