10 February 2023 – In the context of a preliminary ruling, requested by the Conseil d’État (Council of State, France) under Art. 267 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the Court was asked to specify the status of in vitro random mutagenesis (a technique of genetic modification) having regard to the Directive 2001/18/EC (GMO Directive).

The Court, sitting as the Grand Chamber, ruled that Organisms obtained by the in vitro application of a technique/method of mutagenesis which has conventionally been used in a number of in vivo applications and has a long safety record with regard to those applications, are excluded from the scope of that directive.

For more information, see here and here.