BETA


2021/3057(RSP) Resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4), 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), HÄUSLING Martin (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), HAZEKAMP Anja (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 112-p2

Events

2022/07/25
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2022/03/09
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2022/03/09
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 482 votes to 198, with 14 abstentions, a resolution objecting the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

On 19 September 2018, BASF Agricultural Solutions Belgium NV, based in Belgium, which is a branch of BASF SE, based in Germany, submitted, on behalf of BASF Agricultural Solutions Seed US LLC, based in the United States, an application for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811. On 8 July 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a favourable opinion on this application.

The GM cotton was developed to confer tolerance to glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides such as isoxaflutole, mesotrione and tembotrionine.

Lack of assessment of herbicide residues and metabolites

Members pointed out that a number of studies show that herbicide-tolerant GM crops result in a higher use of complementary herbicides, in large part because of the emergence of herbicide-tolerant weeds. GM cotton may therefore be exposed to both higher and repeated doses of glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides, which may lead to an increase in the amount of residues in the harvest.

The resolution states that isoxaflutole is, according to the harmonised classification and labelling approved by the EU, highly toxic to aquatic life and may cause harm to the unborn child. However, only isoxaflutole was used on GM cotton for the purpose of the risk assessment.

Furthermore, the assessment of residues of herbicides and their breakdown products (‘metabolites’) in GM plants is considered to be outside the remit of the EFSA GMO Panel. It is therefore not undertaken as part of the GMO authorisation procedure.

Comments from Member State competent authorities

Parliament also stated that Member States submitted many critical comments to EFSA during the consultation period. Those critical comments include that on the basis of the evidence presented, it is not possible to conclude on the comparative assessment of the GM cotton or on its safety, that cultivation of the GM cotton entails increased exposure of operators in third countries to glyphosate, whose impact on health is currently in dispute but could be adverse, that information and data provided on toxicology is insufficient and that the monitoring plan does not relate the monitoring activities to relevant protection goals.

Undemocratic decision-making

Parliament welcomed the fact that the Commission finally recognised the need to take sustainability into account when it comes to authorisation decisions on GMOs. It expressed its deep disappointment, however, that, since then the Commission has continued to authorise GMOs for import into the Union, despite ongoing objections by Parliament and a majority of Member States voting against.

Parliament highlighted that the amendments adopted by the European Parliament on 17 December 2020 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, which were adopted in Parliament as a basis for negotiations with the Council, state that the Commission shall not authorise GMOs when there is not a qualified majority of Member States in favour. It insisted that the Commission respect this position and called on the Council to proceed with its work and adopt a general approach on this file as a matter of urgency.

Despite its own acknowledgement of the democratic shortcomings, the lack of support from Member States and the objections of Parliament, the Commission continues to authorise GMOs.

Upholding international obligations

Members recalled the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.9, which aims to significantly reduce the number of deaths and illnesses caused by hazardous chemicals, pollution and contamination of air, water and soil by 2030. They considered that authorising the import of GM cotton would increase the demand for this crop, which is treated with glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides, thereby increasing the exposure of workers and the environment in third countries.

In addition, the EU, as a party to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD), has the responsibility to ensure that activities within its jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States. The import of the GM cotton should not be authorised given that its cultivation, and resulting transgene introgression, could unbalance delicate ecological interactions in ecosystems of wild cotton.

Recommendations

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

The Commission is also asked to:

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

- take account of the EU's obligations under international agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UN's SDGs, and ensure that draft implementing acts explain how they uphold with the principle of ‘do no harm’.

Documents
2022/03/01
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2021/12/20
   EP - PIETIKÄINEN Sirpa (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2021/12/20
   EP - SIDL Günther (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2021/12/20
   EP - HÄUSLING Martin (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2021/12/20
   EP - HAZEKAMP Anja (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

Votes

Objection en vertu de l’article 112, paragraphes 2 et 3, du règlement intérieur: coton génétiquement modifié GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4) - Objection pursuant to Rule 112(2) and (3): Genetically modified cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4) - Einwand gemäß Artikel 112 Absätze 2 und 3 GO: genetisch veränderte Baumwolle der Sorte GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4) - B9-0126/2022 - Proposition de résolution (ensemble du texte) #

2022/03/09 Outcome: +: 482, -: 198, 0: 14
FR IT PL HU EL AT ES BG HR SI BE LV CY PT RO SK FI DE LU MT LT DK EE IE CZ NL SE
Total
79
75
52
21
20
19
58
17
11
8
20
8
6
20
32
13
13
96
6
5
11
13
7
13
21
29
21
icon: S&D S&D
143

Greece S&D

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1
6
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
71

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3
icon: ID ID
64
3

Finland ID

1

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

For (1)

1

Czechia ID

2

Netherlands ID

1
icon: The Left The Left
38

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2

Portugal The Left

3

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Denmark The Left

1

Czechia The Left

1

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
41

Slovakia NI

2

Germany NI

3

Lithuania NI

1
icon: ECR ECR
64

Greece ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Romania ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1
3
icon: Renew Renew
101

Italy Renew

Against (1)

3

Poland Renew

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Belgium Renew

4

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Lithuania Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Estonia Renew

For (1)

Against (2)

3

Ireland Renew

2

Sweden Renew

3
icon: PPE PPE
172

Hungary PPE

1

Belgium PPE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Latvia PPE

2
2

Slovakia PPE

For (1)

4

Finland PPE

3

Luxembourg PPE

2

Malta PPE

Against (1)

1

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
date
2022-07-25T00:00:00
docs
url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=57818&j=0&l=en title: SP(2022)254
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
docs/1
date
2022-03-09T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0062_EN.html title: T9-0062/2022
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/0
date
2022-03-09T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0062_EN.html title: T9-0062/2022
events/0
date
2022-03-09T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=57818&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
events/1
date
2022-03-09T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0062_EN.html title: T9-0062/2022
events/1/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted by 482 votes to 198, with 14 abstentions, a resolution objecting the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
  • On 19 September 2018, BASF Agricultural Solutions Belgium NV, based in Belgium, which is a branch of BASF SE, based in Germany, submitted, on behalf of BASF Agricultural Solutions Seed US LLC, based in the United States, an application for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811. On 8 July 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a favourable opinion on this application.
  • The GM cotton was developed to confer tolerance to glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides such as isoxaflutole, mesotrione and tembotrionine.
  • Lack of assessment of herbicide residues and metabolites
  • Members pointed out that a number of studies show that herbicide-tolerant GM crops result in a higher use of complementary herbicides, in large part because of the emergence of herbicide-tolerant weeds. GM cotton may therefore be exposed to both higher and repeated doses of glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides, which may lead to an increase in the amount of residues in the harvest.
  • The resolution states that isoxaflutole is, according to the harmonised classification and labelling approved by the EU, highly toxic to aquatic life and may cause harm to the unborn child. However, only isoxaflutole was used on GM cotton for the purpose of the risk assessment.
  • Furthermore, the assessment of residues of herbicides and their breakdown products (‘metabolites’) in GM plants is considered to be outside the remit of the EFSA GMO Panel. It is therefore not undertaken as part of the GMO authorisation procedure.
  • Comments from Member State competent authorities
  • Parliament also stated that Member States submitted many critical comments to EFSA during the consultation period. Those critical comments include that on the basis of the evidence presented, it is not possible to conclude on the comparative assessment of the GM cotton or on its safety, that cultivation of the GM cotton entails increased exposure of operators in third countries to glyphosate, whose impact on health is currently in dispute but could be adverse, that information and data provided on toxicology is insufficient and that the monitoring plan does not relate the monitoring activities to relevant protection goals.
  • Undemocratic decision-making
  • Parliament welcomed the fact that the Commission finally recognised the need to take sustainability into account when it comes to authorisation decisions on GMOs. It expressed its deep disappointment, however, that, since then the Commission has continued to authorise GMOs for import into the Union, despite ongoing objections by Parliament and a majority of Member States voting against.
  • Parliament highlighted that the amendments adopted by the European Parliament on 17 December 2020 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, which were adopted in Parliament as a basis for negotiations with the Council, state that the Commission shall not authorise GMOs when there is not a qualified majority of Member States in favour. It insisted that the Commission respect this position and called on the Council to proceed with its work and adopt a general approach on this file as a matter of urgency.
  • Despite its own acknowledgement of the democratic shortcomings, the lack of support from Member States and the objections of Parliament, the Commission continues to authorise GMOs.
  • Upholding international obligations
  • Members recalled the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.9, which aims to significantly reduce the number of deaths and illnesses caused by hazardous chemicals, pollution and contamination of air, water and soil by 2030. They considered that authorising the import of GM cotton would increase the demand for this crop, which is treated with glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides, thereby increasing the exposure of workers and the environment in third countries.
  • In addition, the EU, as a party to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD), has the responsibility to ensure that activities within its jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States. The import of the GM cotton should not be authorised given that its cultivation, and resulting transgene introgression, could unbalance delicate ecological interactions in ecosystems of wild cotton.
  • Recommendations
  • On the basis of these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission's draft implementing decision was not consistent with Union law and asked the Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision.
  • The Commission is also asked to:
  • - not to authorise herbicide-tolerant GM crops until the health risks related to residues have been thoroughly investigated on a case-by-case basis;
  • - take account of the EU's obligations under international agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UN's SDGs, and ensure that draft implementing acts explain how they uphold with the principle of ‘do no harm’.
docs/1
date
2022-03-09T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0062_EN.html title: T9-0062/2022
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events
  • date: 2022-03-09T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0062_EN.html title: T9-0062/2022
forecasts
  • date: 2022-03-08T00:00:00 title: Debate in plenary scheduled
  • date: 2022-03-09T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting plenary debate/vote
New
Procedure completed
procedure/title
Old
Objection pursuant to Rule 112(2) and (3) on draft Commission Implementing Decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4), 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 cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council
forecasts/0
date
2022-03-07T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
forecasts/0
date
2022-03-08T00:00:00
title
Debate in plenary scheduled
forecasts/1
date
2022-03-07T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
forecasts/1/date
Old
2022-03-07T00:00:00
New
2022-03-09T00:00:00
docs
  • date: 2022-03-01T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2022-0126_EN.html title: B9-0126/2022 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
forecasts/0/title
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date
New
Vote in plenary scheduled