BETA


2020/2535(RSP) 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 × A5547-127

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead ENVI PIETIKÄINEN Sirpa (icon: EPP EPP), SIDL Günther (icon: S&D S&D), METZ Tilly (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), HAZEKAMP Anja (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL), EVI Eleonora (icon: NA NA) VONDRA Alexandr (icon: ECR ECR)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 112-p2

Events

2020/07/23
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2020/05/13
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2020/05/13
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2020/05/13
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 477 votes to 181, with 23 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 soybean MON 87708 × MON 89788 × A5547-127 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

On 28 October 2016, Monsanto Europe N.V., on behalf of Monsanto Company, submitted a request to the national competent authority of the Netherlands for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients, and feed containing the genetically modified soybean MON 87708 × MON 89788 × A5547-127. On 22 May 2019, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave a favourable opinion on the application.

Complementary herbicides

Recalling that MON 87708 × MON 89788 × A5547-127 soybean has been developed to confer tolerance to glyphosate-based herbicides, Members stressed that it has been shown that the cultivation of herbicide-tolerant GM crops results in a higher use of herbicides, due in large part to the emergence of herbicide-tolerant weeds. As a consequence, it is to be expected that crops of GM soybean MON 87708 × MON 89788 × A5547-127 will be exposed to both higher and repeated doses of the complementary herbicides (glufosinate, dicamba and glyphosate), which will potentially lead to a higher quantity of residues in the harvest.

According to a study validated by the scientific community, glyphosate accumulates in genetically modified soybean. Following a pilot project in Argentina, it was shown that genetically modified soybeans contained surprisingly high levels of glyphosate residues. In addition, there are still questions about the carcinogenicity of glyphosate. Glufosinate is classified as toxic for reproduction (1B) and the approval for the use of glufosinate in the Union expired on 31 July 2018.

Members also raised the issue of the lack of maximum residue limits (MRLs) and related controls.

Undemocratic decision-making process

Parliament stressed that the Commission recognises that the fact that GMO authorisation decisions continue to be adopted by the Commission without a qualified majority of Member States in favour, which is very much the exception for product authorisations as a whole but which has become the norm for decision-making on GM food and feed authorisations, is problematic.

Whilst the Commission itself recognises the democratic shortcomings, the lack of support of the Member States and the objections of Parliament, the Commission continues to authorise GMOs.

Upholding international obligations

Members recalled that Regulation (EU) No 1829/2003 requires the Commission, when drafting its decisions, to take into account legitimate factors including the Union's obligations under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDOs), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Parliament also reiterated its concern that the EU's heavy dependence on imports of animal feed in the form of soya beans is causing deforestation abroad. It called on the Commission not to authorise the import of genetically modified soya unless it is demonstrated that their cultivation has not contributed, directly or indirectly, to deforestation.

Recommendations

On the basis of these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission's draft implementing decision is not consistent with EU law and asked the Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision.

The Commission is also invited to:

- not authorise the import of genetically modified plants for food or feed use which have been rendered tolerant to a herbicide not authorised in the Union, in this case glufosinate;

- commit itself, in the next evaluation of the MRL legislation and the farm to table strategy, not to allow the presence of possible residues of toxic pesticides, such as glufosinate, in food and feed imports into the EU;

- ensure effective controls of agricultural products imported from third countries with a view to ensuring a high level of health protection and a level playing field for European food production;

- fully integrate the risk assessment of complementary herbicide residues and their metabolites, including combinatorial effects, into the risk assessment of herbicide-tolerant GM plants, regardless of whether the GM plant concerned is to be cultivated in the Union or is for import into the Union for food and feed uses;

- withdraw proposals for GMO authorisations, whether for cultivation or for food and feed uses, if no opinion is delivered by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health;

- review all its current authorisations for GM soybeans in light of the Union’s international obligations, including those under the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Convention on Biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Parliament reiterated its call for the implementation of a European vegetable protein production and supply strategy, which would enable the Union to become less dependent on GM soybean imports and to create shorter food chains and regional markets.

Documents
2020/01/22
   EP - PIETIKÄINEN Sirpa (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/01/22
   EP - SIDL Günther (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/01/22
   EP - METZ Tilly (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/01/22
   EP - HAZEKAMP Anja (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/01/22
   EP - EVI Eleonora (NA) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

Activities

Votes

B9-0121/2020 - am 1/1 #

2020/05/13 Outcome: +: 433, -: 240, 0: 17
FR IT ES EL AT PT SK CY MT FI LV SE BE HR SI IE DK LU DE BG EE CZ LT PL NL HU RO
Total
78
75
58
20
19
21
14
6
6
14
8
21
21
11
8
13
13
6
89
17
7
21
11
50
29
21
33
icon: S&D S&D
141

Greece S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
65

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3
icon: ID ID
74
3

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Czechia ID

2

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
39

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
28

Slovakia NI

2

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Hungary NI

1
icon: Renew Renew
98

Italy Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Sweden Renew

Against (1)

3

Belgium Renew

4

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Ireland Renew

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Bulgaria Renew

3

Estonia Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

2

Hungary Renew

2
icon: ECR ECR
61

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

2

Latvia ECR

2
3

Croatia ECR

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1

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

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1

Netherlands ECR

4
icon: PPE PPE
184
2

Malta PPE

2

Finland PPE

3

Latvia PPE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Belgium PPE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Croatia PPE

Abstain (1)

4

Slovenia PPE

4

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

B9-0121/2020 - am 1/2 #

2020/05/13 Outcome: +: 667, 0: 14, -: 8
DE FR IT ES PL RO NL CZ PT HU AT EL BG SE BE FI IE DK SK LT LV HR SI CY MT EE LU
Total
89
78
75
58
50
33
29
21
21
21
19
20
17
20
21
14
13
13
14
11
8
11
8
6
6
7
6
icon: PPE PPE
183

Latvia PPE

2

Croatia PPE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4
2

Malta PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
141

Greece S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
98

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Belgium Renew

Against (1)

4

Finland Renew

3

Ireland Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2
icon: ID ID
74

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

2
3

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
65

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Greece ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2
3

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
39

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
28

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Hungary NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

B9-0121/2020 - Résolution #

2020/05/13 Outcome: +: 477, -: 181, 0: 23
FR IT PL HU AT EL SK BG ES PT HR LV CY FI MT BE SI LU DE NL LT IE DK EE SE CZ RO
Total
79
75
50
21
18
17
14
16
56
21
10
8
6
14
6
21
8
6
89
29
11
13
14
7
21
20
31
icon: S&D S&D
138

Greece S&D

1

Latvia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
65

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3
icon: ID ID
76
3

Finland ID

2

Netherlands ID

1

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Czechia ID

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
38

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1
icon: ECR ECR
60

Greece ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

4

Lithuania ECR

1
3
icon: NI NI
25

Hungary NI

1

Greece NI

For (1)

1

Slovakia NI

2

Croatia NI

1

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Belgium Renew

4

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

2

Ireland Renew

2

Estonia Renew

For (1)

Against (2)

3

Sweden Renew

3
icon: PPE PPE
182

Bulgaria PPE

Against (1)

6

Croatia PPE

Against (1)

4

Latvia PPE

2
2

Finland PPE

3

Malta PPE

2

Belgium PPE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Slovenia PPE

Against (1)

4

Luxembourg PPE

2

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

History

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

docs/1/docs/0/url
/oeil/spdoc.do?i=52805&j=0&l=en
committees/0/rapporteur/3/group
Old
Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left
New
The Left group in the European Parliament - GUE/NGL
docs/1
date
2020-07-23T00:00:00
docs
url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=52805&j=0&l=en title: SP(2020)309
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
docs/1
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0069_EN.html title: T9-0069/2020
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/0
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=52805&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
events/0
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0069_EN.html title: T9-0069/2020
events/1
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0069_EN.html title: T9-0069/2020
summary
procedure/title
Old
Objection pursuant to Rule 112: 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 × A5547-127, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council
New
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 × A5547-127
docs
  • date: 2020-05-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2020-0121_EN.html title: B9-0121/2020 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
  • date: 2020-05-13T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0069_EN.html title: T9-0069/2020 type: Text adopted by Parliament, single reading body: EP
events
  • date: 2020-05-13T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0069_EN.html title: T9-0069/2020
forecasts
  • date: 2020-05-13T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting plenary debate/vote
New
Procedure completed
forecasts
  • date: 2020-05-13T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
forecasts
  • date: 2020-03-10T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament's vote
New
Awaiting plenary debate/vote
forecasts/0/title
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in plenary scheduled