The European Parliament adopted by 433 votes to 234 with 34 abstentions, a resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87708 × MON 89788 (MON-877Ø8-9 × MON-89788-1) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The resolution was tabled by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Parliament noted that the genetically modified MON-877Ø8-9 × MON-89788-1 soybea n, as described in the application of 23 March 2012 submitted by Monsanto Europe S.A. to the competent authority of the Netherlands, expresses the DMO proteins which confer tolerance to dicamba-based herbicides and the CP4 EPSPS protein which confers tolerance to glyphosate-based herbicides. However, the World Health Organisation classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans on 20 March 2015.

The draft Commission implementing decision was voted on in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health referred to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, on 18 November 2015, with no opinion being delivered.

Parliament stressed that since the entry into force of the current GMO authorisation procedure, decisions had been adopted by the Commission without the support of the opinions of Member State committees . Thus, the return of the dossier to the Commission for the final decision, which was very much the exception for the procedure as a whole, had become the norm for decision-making on genetically modified (GM) food and feed authorisations;

Members also recalled that on 28 October 2015, Parliament had rejected the legislative proposal amending Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 regarding the possibility for Member States to restrict or prohibit the use of genetically modified food and feed on their territory, and it called on the Commission to withdraw its proposal and to submit a new one.

In the light of these considerations, Parliament considered that the draft Commission implementing decision is not consistent with Union law, in that it is not compatible with the aim of ensuring a high level of protection of human life and health, animal health and welfare, environment and consumer interests in relation to genetically modified food and feed, whilst ensuring the effective operation of the internal market.

Accordingly, Parliament asked the Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision . The Commission was asked to submit a new legislative proposal on the basis of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, amending Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 taking into account frequently expressed national concerns which do not only relate to issues associated with the safety of GMOs for health or the environment.