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2020/2836(RSP) Resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and NK603, and repealing Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1111 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council

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)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 112-p2

Events

2021/03/22
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2020/11/11
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2020/11/11
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2020/11/11
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 483 votes to 178, with 25 abstentions, a resolution objecting to the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and NK603.

The application for marketing authorisation was submitted by Monsanto Europe N.V., on behalf of Monsanto, USA, to the competent authority of the Netherlands on 15 February 2016. On 22 May 2019, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted an opinion in favour of the application.

Main comments from the Member States

Members recalled that Member States have forwarded numerous critical comments to EFSA, including the fact that no analysis has been carried out on residues of glyphosate or glyphosate metabolites on stacked GM maize and the potential synergistic or antagonistic effects of the ‘Cry’ and ‘Vip’ proteins as well as herbicide residues.

An independent scientific analysis concluded, inter alia, that no definitive conclusion could be drawn regarding the safety of stacked GM maize. In addition, the applicant did not provide experimental data for the six currently unauthorised sub-combinations of the stacked GM maize.

Lack of evaluation of herbicide residues, metabolites and cocktail effects

Members pointed out that herbicide-tolerant genetically modified crops are leading to an increase in the use of ‘complementary’ herbicides, in particular due to the emergence of herbicide-tolerant weeds. It can therefore be expected that the stacked GM will be repeatedly exposed to higher rates of glyphosate, which could lead to an increase in the amount of residues in the crops.

In addition, there are still questions about the carcinogenicity of glyphosate. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization has, contrary to the EFSA and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen to humans.

Lastly, as several studies have shown, side effects have been observed that may disrupt the immune system following exposure to Bt proteins and that some Bt proteins may have adjuvant properties, meaning that they may enhance the allergenic properties of other proteins with which they come into contact.

Undemocratic decision-making

Members recalled that in the September vote, the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health decided not to give an opinion, meaning that the authorisation was not supported by a qualified majority of Member States.

The Commission has repeatedly deplored the fact that decisions on the authorisation of GMOs continue to be adopted by the Commission without a qualified majority of Member States being in favour, which is largely the exception for product authorisations as a whole, but has become the norm for decisions on GM food and feed authorisations.

Recommendations

Based on these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission's implementing decision was not compatible with EU law. Consequently, it called on the Commission to:

- withdraw its draft implementing decision;

- make progress on the development of sustainability criteria, with full involvement of the Parliament;

- take into account the Union's obligations under international agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN sustainable development goals;

- stop authorising GMOs, whether for cultivation or for use as food or feed, where no opinion is given by Member States in the Appeal Committee;

- not to authorise herbicide-tolerant GM crops until the health risks associated with residues have been thoroughly investigated on a case-by-case basis;

- to take full account of the risk assessment of the use of complementary herbicides and their residues in the risk assessment of herbicide-tolerant GM crops, irrespective of whether the crop concerned is intended to be grown in the EU or imported into the EU as food or feed;

- allowing sub-combinations of stacked events only if they have been thoroughly evaluated by EFSA on the basis of complete data submitted by the applicant.

EFSA is called on to further develop and systematically use methods that permit the identification of unintended effects of stacked GM events.

Documents
2020/11/11
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2020/10/19
   EP - PIETIKÄINEN Sirpa (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/10/19
   EP - SIDL Günther (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/10/19
   EP - METZ Tilly (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/10/19
   EP - HAZEKAMP Anja (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2020/10/19
   EP - EVI Eleonora (NA) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

Activities

Votes

B9-0346/2020 - Résolution #

2020/11/11 Outcome: +: 483, -: 178, 0: 25
FR IT PL HU EL AT ES HR BG SK PT SI CY LV DE FI BE RO DK MT LU LT IE NL SE EE CZ
Total
78
75
51
21
20
18
58
12
16
14
20
8
6
7
92
14
20
31
14
6
6
11
12
29
20
6
21
icon: S&D S&D
139

Greece S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
69

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3
icon: ID ID
73
3

Finland ID

2

Belgium ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Netherlands ID

1

Czechia ID

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
39

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1
icon: NI NI
30

Hungary NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

Germany NI

2

Malta NI

For (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Abstain (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Greece ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

2

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Netherlands ECR

4
3
icon: Renew Renew
95

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Slovenia Renew

2

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Belgium Renew

4

Luxembourg Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

2

Ireland Renew

2

Sweden Renew

3

Estonia Renew

3
icon: PPE PPE
180

Bulgaria PPE

Against (1)

6
2

Latvia PPE

2

Finland PPE

3

Belgium PPE

For (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

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=54380&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
2021-03-22T00:00:00
docs
url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=54380&j=0&l=en title: SP(2021)32
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Commission response to text adopted in plenary
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Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
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2020-11-11T00:00:00
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Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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2020-11-11T00:00:00
type
End of procedure in Parliament
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date
2020-11-11T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0291_EN.html title: T9-0291/2020
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events
  • date: 2020-11-11T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0291_EN.html title: T9-0291/2020
forecasts
  • date: 2020-11-12T00:00:00 title: Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting plenary debate/vote
New
Procedure completed
docs
  • date: 2020-11-11T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2020-0346_EN.html title: B9-0346/2020 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
procedure/title
Old
Objection pursuant to Rule 112: placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and NK603
New
Resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and NK603, and repealing Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1111 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council