Paris, France — ISF Regulatory Affairs Manager Khaoula Belhaj-Fragnière joined the OECD Working Party meetings on the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds (SNFF) and the Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (HROB), held at the OECD Headquarters from March 24 to 28, 2025.
The meetings convened a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including government officials, industry representatives (BIAC, ISF, CLI), and international organizations such as FAO, AUDA-NEPAD, and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to discuss risk assessment and regulatory frameworks related to biotechnology and innovation.
Khaoula was invited to speak at the HROB session, where she shared ISF’s insights on plant breeding innovation (PBI). She stressed the urgent need for science-based, transparent, and predictable regulatory approaches for products developed through advanced breeding techniques, including genome editing.
Her intervention highlighted the promising evolution of PBI policies globally, while noting that current approaches remain fragmented and require further harmonization to foster innovation and unlock market access. Khaoula referenced ISF’s recent statement, “Call for Policy Actions to Foster Plant Breeding Innovation,” which outlines best practices from OECD countries and advocates for policy frameworks that contribute to a resilient and sustainable agriculture sector in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
