Panama introduces new framework for gene-edited crops
Panama has taken a step towards modernising its biotechnology regulations with the publication of Resolución CNB 008-2026, establishing a new scientific procedure for assessing organisms developed using gene-editing and other New Breeding Techniques (NBTs).
Published in the Gaceta Oficial No. 30559-D on 2 July 2026, the resolution introduces a formal consultation process that allows developers to request an official determination of whether a product created using modern breeding technologies falls within Panama's legal definition of a genetically modified organism (GMO). The new framework requires a case-by-case scientific assessment based on whether the final organism contains a "new combination of genetic material" as defined under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
Providing regulatory certainty
The resolution recognises that genome editing technologies, including CRISPR-based methods, can produce precise genetic changes without introducing foreign DNA. It notes that existing legislation did not provide sufficient clarity for these newer technologies and that a transparent assessment process is needed to support innovation while maintaining biosafety oversight.
Under the new procedure, developers can submit information describing the breeding method and the characteristics of the final organism. The National Biosafety Commission (CNB) will then determine whether the product falls within Panama's GMO regulatory framework.
This approach mirrors regulatory systems already adopted in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Colombia and more recently Peru, where products developed through certain forms of gene editing may be considered outside GMO legislation if they do not contain novel combinations of genetic material.
The resolution does not exempt all gene-edited organisms from regulation, but establishes a scientific review process to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a particular product meets the legal definition of a GMO. Organisms found to contain a novel combination of genetic material will continue to be regulated under Panama's existing biosafety framework, while those that do not may fall outside GMO regulations.
A growing trend across Latin America
The adoption of Resolución CNB 008-2026 places Panama among the increasing number of countries that regulate the characteristics of the final product rather than the breeding technology alone.
The resolution also highlights the government's ambition to establish a modern regulatory framework aligned with international scientific standards and to promote research, innovation and agricultural competitiveness.
For plant breeders and researchers, the new process provides greater legal certainty when developing crops using genome editing techniques that may not involve the insertion of foreign DNA.