Put forward by the Belgian Council Presidency at a meeting of ambassadors on Wednesday, Gene editing, as NGTs are also known, uses innovative scientific methods to alter genomes in plants to increase sustainability and resilience into the food systems.

However, two days before the meeting, Poland’s Agriculture Minister Czesław Siekierski said that his country was unlikely to support the bill, as it had not had “enough time to analyze the impact of this proposal.”

Poland also shares concerns with five other member states over the issue of biotech firms to patent and hold a monopoly over plant strains created by new gene-editing tools.

Belgium had agreed to tweak the legislation but still needed Warsaw’s support to get the bill past opposition from Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Supporters of NGTs say it helps reduce the use of pesticides in crops as it makes them more drought-resistant and nutritious.

With the heatwave spreading across Europe threatening to take a heavy toll on crops, countries such as Italy, Spain and Portugal had all voted in favor of the bill.

But critics say NGTs could damage fragile ecosystems and affect people’s health.