The European Parliament adopted by 391 votes to 204, with 47 abstentions, a resolution objecting to the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87403 (MON-874Ø3-1) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The application for marketing authorisation was submitted to the competent authority of Belgium on 26 June 2015 by Monsanto Europe SA/NV on behalf of Monsanto, USA.

Comments from the Parliament and the Member States

The competent authorities of the Member States made many critical observations during the three-month consultation period following the publication of the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in March 2018. In particular, they argued that it was not possible conclude on the safety of the long-term reproductive or developmental effects of the whole food and/or feed, that the applicant’s proposal for an environmental monitoring plan does not meet the defined objectives and, crucially, that the evidence provided was not considered sufficient to reassure consumers of the safety of GM maize MON 87403.

Underlining that the potential risks of this genetically modified maize to human and animal health and the environment have not been properly addressed by EFSA's Scientific Panel on GMOs, Parliament considered it unacceptable that the Commission should propose to authorise this genetically modified maize on the basis of EFSA's opinion. It also noted that one of the studies mentioned in the EFSA opinion was co-written by a member of the EFSA GMO panel and a scientist working for Syngenta and that references to this study were later removed from the EFSA opinion.

Decision-making process

The Commission has repeatedly deplored the fact that since the current GMO authorisation procedure entered into force, each authorisation decision has been taken by the Commission without the support of the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health of the Member States. Thus, the referral of the dossier back to the Commission for a final decision, which should have been an exception, has become the rule in the decision-making process on authorisations of genetically modified food and feed.

On the basis of these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission's implementing decision was not compatible with Union law, which requires that bases are set out in order to ensure a high level of protection of human life and health, animal health and welfare, the environment and consumer interests, while ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market.

As a result, Parliament called on the Commission to:

- withdraw its draft implementing decision;

- suspend any implementing decision on applications for authorisation of genetically modified organisms until the authorisation procedure has been revised in order to remedy the shortcomings of the current procedure, which has proved inadequate;

- withdraw proposals for authorisations of GMOs – whether for cultivation or for food and feed purposes – if the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health does not deliver an opinion.

Parliament reiterated its commitment to make progress in its work on the Commission's proposal to amend Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. It asked the Council to give urgent attention to completing its work on this Commission proposal.

It also welcomed the commitment of EFSA’s Executive Director to ensure that, in the future, EFSA staff members no longer publish scientific publications with industry-affiliated scientists in order to increase consumer confidence in the EU food safety system.