Prospects for improving the legal regulation of the use of agrobiotechnologies

he article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of agrobiotechnology as a strategic direction for ensuring food security and technological sovereignty of Russia in the context of import restrictions. The author considers agrobiotechnology not as single tools, but as an interconnected system that transforms all stages of agricultural production – from breeding to product processing. Special attention is paid to the legal aspects of the development and regulation of this sphere. The paper analyzes in detail the key areas of agrobiotechnology: genomic editing (including CRISPR-Cas9), marker-assisted breeding, cellular technologies and biological plant protection products. It is shown how the transition from traditional breeding to genome work has significantly accelerated the breeding of new varieties and breeds, increased the accuracy of selection and reduced costs. Using general scientific and special methods (analysis, generalization, formal legal, comparative legal, etc.), the article examines the legal acts of foreign countries devoted to the regulation of relations in the field of development and application of agrobiotechnologies. A comparative review of legal regulation in different countries has been conducted, from liberal models (Argentina, Brazil, USA) to strict, precautionary ones (European Union). There is a global trend towards liberalizing legislation for genome editing products that do not contain foreign DNA. Among the main problems in the field of regulation of agrobiotechnologies, which are of a cross-cutting nature, such as the uncertainty of the legal status of new products, the lack of flexible and adequate registration procedures, ethical and legal dilemmas and the lack of international harmonization have been identified. In conclusion, the article substantiates the need for Russia to move from a prohibitive paradigm to proactive, scientifically based regulation in order to stimulate innovation, bridge the technological gap and create a competitive agrarian economy.