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2022/2713(RSP) Resolution on Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/797 of 19 May 2022 authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 × T25 × DAS-40278-9 and its sub-combination T25 × DAS-40278-9, 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

2022/10/20
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2022/06/23
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2022/06/23
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 402 votes to 173, with 18 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 NK603 × T25 × DAS-40278-9 and its sub-combination T25 × DAS-40278-9, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

On 12 December 2019, Pioneer Overseas Corporation, based in Belgium, submitted an application for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 × T25 × DAS-40278-9 (the ‘GM maize’). On 29 October 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a favourable opinion on this application.

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 maize may therefore be exposed to both higher and repeated doses of glyphosate, which may lead to an increase in the (‘metabolites’) in the harvest.

The resolution stated that the EFSA concluded in November 2015 that glyphosate was unlikely to be carcinogenic and the European Chemicals Agency concluded in March 2017 that no classification was warranted. On the contrary, in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen for humans. A number of recent scientific peer-reviewed studies confirm the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate.

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 the interaction among the herbicides, their residues and metabolites used on the GM maize cannot be excluded and this chemical cocktail has never been tested from a toxicological angle before and might affect human and animal health and the environment and whereas there is a vector-derived beta-lactamase (‘bla’) gene in the GM maize, an antibiotic resistance gene which inactivates critically important penicillins.

Undemocratic decision-making

Parliament welcomed 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 has become the norm for decision-making on GM food and feed authorisations, is problematic.

In its ninth term, Parliament has already adopted 27 objections to placing GMOs on the market. There was not a qualified majority of Member States in favour of authorising any of those GMOs. The reasons for Member States not supporting authorisations include lack of respect for the precautionary principle in the authorisation process and scientific concerns relating to the risk assessment.

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 the GM maize would increase demand for this crop which is treated with glyphosate, thereby increasing the exposure of workers and the environment in third countries. The risk of increased worker and environmental exposure is of particular concern in relation to herbicide-tolerant GM crops, given the higher volumes of herbicides used.

According to a peer-reviewed study published in 2020, Roundup, one of the world’s most widely used glyphosate-based herbicides, can trigger a loss of biodiversity, making ecosystems more vulnerable to pollution and climate change.

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.

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
2022/06/14
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2022/05/13
   EP - PIETIKÄINEN Sirpa (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2022/05/13
   EP - SIDL Günther (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2022/05/13
   EP - HÄUSLING Martin (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2022/05/13
   EP - HAZEKAMP Anja (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

Activities

Votes

Objection conformément à l’article 112, paragraphes 2 et 3: maïs génétiquement modifié NK603 × T25 × DAS-40278-9 et sa sous-combinaison T25 × DAS-40278-9 - Objection pursuant to Rule 112(2) and (3): Genetically modified maize NK603 × T25 × DAS-40278-9 and its sub-combination T25 × DAS-40278-9 - Einwand gemäß Artikel 112 Absätze 2 und 3 GO: genetisch veränderter Mais der Sorte NK603 × T25 × DAS-40278-9 und die Unterkombination T25 × DAS-40278-9 - B9-0326/2022 - Proposition de résolution #

2022/06/23 Outcome: +: 402, -: 173, 0: 18
FR IT PL AT DE EL HU HR PT FI ES SK CY BE SI BG MT LV LU RO DK IE CZ EE NL SE LT
Total
62
63
47
16
85
17
12
10
20
10
48
12
6
20
6
13
5
4
6
28
13
12
18
5
28
19
8
icon: S&D S&D
120

Greece S&D

For (1)

1

Croatia S&D

2

Finland S&D

1

Slovakia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Bulgaria S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

Abstain (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
66

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2
icon: ID ID
53
3

Finland ID

2

Belgium ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Czechia ID

For (1)

1

Netherlands ID

1
icon: The Left The Left
33

Germany The Left

3

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2

Belgium 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
27

France NI

2

Germany NI

Abstain (1)

2

Slovakia NI

2

Latvia NI

1
icon: ECR ECR
53

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Croatia ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

For (1)

1

Romania ECR

1

Netherlands ECR

4

Sweden ECR

2
icon: Renew Renew
92

Italy Renew

Against (1)

3

Poland Renew

1

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Greece Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

2

Belgium Renew

4

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

1

Bulgaria Renew

Against (1)

3

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Estonia Renew

Against (2)

2

Sweden Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

1
icon: PPE PPE
149

Croatia PPE

4

Finland PPE

1

Slovakia PPE

4
2

Belgium PPE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Slovenia PPE

Against (1)

4

Malta PPE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Ireland PPE

4

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

History

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

docs/1
date
2022-10-20T00:00:00
docs
url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=58467&j=0&l=en title: SP(2022)484
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
docs/1
date
2022-06-23T00:00:00
docs
title: T9-0258/2022
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/0
date
2022-06-23T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=58467&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
events/0
date
2022-06-23T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
title: T9-0258/2022
events/1
date
2022-06-23T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0258_EN.html title: T9-0258/2022
summary