BETA


2013/2974(RSP) Resolution on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 112-p2

Events

2014/05/26
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2014/01/16
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2014/01/16
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 385 votes to 200 with 30 abstentions a resolution tabled by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, opposing the proposal for a Council decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests. It considered that the proposal for a Council decision exceeded the implementing powers conferred under Directive 2001/18/EC, and called on the Council to reject the Commission proposal. Parliament considered that genetically modified maize 1507 offers no benefit to consumers.

Members noted that the provisions of the Directive required a decision on the deliberate release of a genetically modified organism (GMO) must explicitly specify conditions for the protection of particular ecosystems/environments and/or geographical areas. However, such an indication is missing in the Commission proposal.

In addition, the resolution noted the following:

· EFSA risk assessment : the European Food Safety Agency’s (EFSA’s) opinion of February 2012 explicitly disagreed with the applicant’s (Pioneer) conclusion that the study cited by the applicant provided adequate evidence that maize 1507 poses a negligible risk to non-target lepidoptera in the EU, but instead pointed to the fact that highly sensitive non-target butterflies and moths may be at risk when exposed to maize 1507 pollen . It also noted that Pioneer refused, following a request by the Commission, to revise its application for authorisation and present additional documents regarding monitoring and risk‑mitigating measures for non-target organisms.

· Glufosinate: the EFSA acknowledged that in its risk assessment it did not consider potential risks linked to the other trait of maize 1507, namely its tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium even though this characteristic may result in increased use of glufosinate. In the United States and Canada, maize 1507 is marketed as a glufosinate-tolerant crop, while in the application in the EU the applicant argues that the gene for glufosinate tolerance was only to be used as a marker gene. Glufosinate was classified as toxic to reproduction and thus fell under the exclusion criteria set out in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. The approval of glufosinate expired in 2017 and Members noted that the use of glufosinate should therefore in principle end in 2017.

Parliament went on to recall that no GMO had been authorised for cultivation in the EU since 2010, when the Amflora potato was authorised. A large majority of consumers are concerned about genetically modified food, as indicated in Special Eurobarometer 354 of 2010. Accordingly, Parliament called on the Commission not to propose to authorise any new GMO variety and not to renew old ones until the risk assessment methods, currently acknowledged inadequate, had been significantly improved.

Documents
2014/01/16
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2014/01/07
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents

Documents

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2014-0007_EN.html
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https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2014-0007_EN.html
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2014-01-16T00:00:00
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2014-01-16T00:00:00
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summary
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Rules of Procedure EP 112-p2
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 106-p2
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2014-0007&language=EN
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http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-7-2014-0007_EN.html
docs/1/body
EC
events/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0036
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-7-2014-0036_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2014-01-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24017&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0036 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0036/2014 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
commission
  • body: EC dg: Health and Food Safety commissioner: BORG Tonio
committees
    docs
    • date: 2014-01-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B7-2014-0007&language=EN title: B7-0007/2014 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2014-05-26T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=24017&j=0&l=en title: SP(2014)320 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
    events
    • date: 2014-01-16T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24017&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2014-01-16T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0036 title: T7-0036/2014 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 385 votes to 200 with 30 abstentions a resolution tabled by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, opposing the proposal for a Council decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests. It considered that the proposal for a Council decision exceeded the implementing powers conferred under Directive 2001/18/EC, and called on the Council to reject the Commission proposal. Parliament considered that genetically modified maize 1507 offers no benefit to consumers. Members noted that the provisions of the Directive required a decision on the deliberate release of a genetically modified organism (GMO) must explicitly specify conditions for the protection of particular ecosystems/environments and/or geographical areas. However, such an indication is missing in the Commission proposal. In addition, the resolution noted the following: · EFSA risk assessment : the European Food Safety Agency’s (EFSA’s) opinion of February 2012 explicitly disagreed with the applicant’s (Pioneer) conclusion that the study cited by the applicant provided adequate evidence that maize 1507 poses a negligible risk to non-target lepidoptera in the EU, but instead pointed to the fact that highly sensitive non-target butterflies and moths may be at risk when exposed to maize 1507 pollen . It also noted that Pioneer refused, following a request by the Commission, to revise its application for authorisation and present additional documents regarding monitoring and risk‑mitigating measures for non-target organisms. · Glufosinate: the EFSA acknowledged that in its risk assessment it did not consider potential risks linked to the other trait of maize 1507, namely its tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium even though this characteristic may result in increased use of glufosinate. In the United States and Canada, maize 1507 is marketed as a glufosinate-tolerant crop, while in the application in the EU the applicant argues that the gene for glufosinate tolerance was only to be used as a marker gene. Glufosinate was classified as toxic to reproduction and thus fell under the exclusion criteria set out in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. The approval of glufosinate expired in 2017 and Members noted that the use of glufosinate should therefore in principle end in 2017. Parliament went on to recall that no GMO had been authorised for cultivation in the EU since 2010, when the Amflora potato was authorised. A large majority of consumers are concerned about genetically modified food, as indicated in Special Eurobarometer 354 of 2010. Accordingly, Parliament called on the Commission not to propose to authorise any new GMO variety and not to renew old ones until the risk assessment methods, currently acknowledged inadequate, had been significantly improved.
    • date: 2014-01-16T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm title: Health and Consumers commissioner: BORG Tonio
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure EP 106-p2
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 106-p2
    procedure/subject
    Old
    • 3.10.06 Crop products in general, floriculture
    • 3.10.09.06 Agro-genetics, GMOs
    • 3.70.01 Protection of natural resources: fauna, flora, nature, wildlife, countryside; biodiversity
    • 3.70.06 Soil pollution, deterioration
    • 4.60.04.04 Food safety
    New
    3.10.06
    Crop products in general, floriculture
    3.10.09.06
    Agro-genetics, GMOs
    3.70.01
    Protection of natural resources: fauna, flora, nature, wildlife, countryside; biodiversity
    3.70.06
    Soil pollution, deterioration
    4.60.04.04
    Food safety
    procedure/subtype
    Old
    Comitology resolution
    New
    • Resolution on implementing act or powers
    • See also Directive 2001/18/EC 1998/0072(COD)
    procedure/summary
    • See also Directive 2001/18/EC
    activities/0/docs/0
    url
    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24017&l=en
    type
    Results of vote in Parliament
    title
    Results of vote in Parliament
    activities/0/docs/1/text
    • The European Parliament adopted by 385 votes to 200 with 30 abstentions a resolution tabled by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, opposing the proposal for a Council decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests. It considered that the proposal for a Council decision exceeded the implementing powers conferred under Directive 2001/18/EC, and called on the Council to reject the Commission proposal. Parliament considered that genetically modified maize 1507 offers no benefit to consumers.

      Members noted that the provisions of the Directive required a decision on the deliberate release of a genetically modified organism (GMO) must explicitly specify conditions for the protection of particular ecosystems/environments and/or geographical areas. However, such an indication is missing in the Commission proposal.

      In addition, the resolution noted the following:

      ·        EFSA risk assessment: the European Food Safety Agency’s (EFSA’s) opinion of February 2012 explicitly disagreed with the applicant’s (Pioneer) conclusion that the study cited by the applicant provided adequate evidence that maize 1507 poses a negligible risk to non-target lepidoptera in the EU, but instead pointed to the fact that highly sensitive non-target butterflies and moths may be at risk when exposed to maize 1507 pollen. It also noted that Pioneer refused, following a request by the Commission, to revise its application for authorisation and present additional documents regarding monitoring and risk‑mitigating measures for non-target organisms.

      ·        Glufosinate: the EFSA acknowledged that in its risk assessment it did not consider potential risks linked to the other trait of maize 1507, namely its tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium even though this characteristic may result in increased use of glufosinate. In the United States and Canada, maize 1507 is marketed as a glufosinate-tolerant crop, while in the application in the EU the applicant argues that the gene for glufosinate tolerance was only to be used as a marker gene. Glufosinate was classified as toxic to reproduction and thus fell under the exclusion criteria set out in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. The approval of glufosinate expired in 2017 and Members noted that the use of glufosinate should therefore in principle end in 2017.

      Parliament went on to recall that no GMO had been authorised for cultivation in the EU since 2010, when the Amflora potato was authorised. A large majority of consumers are concerned about genetically modified food, as indicated in Special Eurobarometer 354 of 2010. Accordingly, Parliament called on the Commission not to propose to authorise any new GMO variety and not to renew old ones until the risk assessment methods, currently acknowledged inadequate, had been significantly improved.

    activities/0/type
    Old
    Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
    New
    Results of vote in Parliament
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Old
    Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 088-p2
    New
    Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 106-p2
    procedure/title
    Old
    Proposal for a Council decision concening the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests
    New
    Resolution on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests
    activities/0/docs
    • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0036 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0036/2014
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    Vote in plenary scheduled
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    • date: 2014-01-16T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in plenary scheduled
    committees
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      • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm title: Health and Consumers commissioner: BORG Tonio
      procedure
      reference
      2013/2974(RSP)
      title
      Proposal for a Council decision concening the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests
      legal_basis
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 088-p2
      stage_reached
      Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
      summary
      See also Directive 2001/18/EC
      subtype
      Comitology resolution
      type
      RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
      subject