Dr. Barry O'Reilly:

On the first point regarding the criteria that establishes whether plants are equivalent to conventional plants, there is provision in the legislative proposal for the Commission to adopt a delegated Act to amend that particular criteria in light of scientific and technological progress. That provision is in the proposal at the moment.

In relation to the level of subsidiarity, in the Presidency's compromised text, there is the provision for member states to opt out of the cultivation of NGT 2 plants. That is similar to the provision that exists in current GMO legislation. A directive was introduced in 2015 that allows member states to prohibit or restrict the cultivation of GMO plants. There is scope for us to apply that if we wish in the case of NGT 2 plants.