TEA, CIBO PER LA MENTE: WITH THE EU’S APPROVAL, A NEW ERA FOR AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION BEGINS

Rome, 17 June 2026 – The final approval of the European Regulation on Assisted Evolution Techniques (TEA) marks a turning point for the future of European agriculture and for the ability of agri-food supply chains to tackle the major challenges of the coming decades. After years of political and scientific debate, the European Union has finally adopted a regulatory framework that recognizes the value of genetic innovation applied to plant breeding and offers new prospects for research, businesses and farmers.

“This is a historic day for our sector,” said Clara Fossato, spokesperson for Cibo per la Mente. “With this vote, Europe has chosen to invest in science, providing tools that will contribute to the development of more resilient, efficient and productive varieties. It is a strong signal that gives confidence to those who have continued to believe in the value of scientific research over recent years.”

“Our country has shown that it can play a leading role in this era of innovation. The trials launched on strategic crops for ‘Made in Italy’ have brought Italian research back to the forefront of the European debate and have demonstrated the value of an approach that fosters dialogue between science, politics and the productive sector. Today we are seeing recognition of a path that the sector has supported with determination and responsibility,” continued Fossato.

“The final approval of the Regulation on TEA represents a landmark moment for European agricultural research,” said Mario Pezzotti, Professor of Agricultural Genetics at the University of Verona. “We have been waiting for this moment for twelve years: we now finally have a regulatory framework that allows us to use the most modern techniques of genetic improvement to pursue the objectives of sustainability and greater precision required of the agriculture of the future. Our task now will be to apply these technologies to the best of our ability, in accordance with the rules, to achieve favorable results for the Italian and European agri-food system.”

“We would like to thank the European and Italian institutions, above all the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Luca De Carlo, who has fought tirelessly over recent years to revive field trials and make Italy a pioneer in the field of TEA. The approval of the regulation is not an end in itself, but the start of a new phase,” added Fossato. “It will now be essential to move swiftly with the implementation of the new rules so that this decision can translate into real opportunities for the agri-food sector and for consumers. Europe has made a strategic choice: it is time to fully harness its potential to build a more sustainable, competitive agricultural sector that is prepared for the challenges of the future,” concluded Fossato.