Resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize Bt11 × MIR162 × MIR604 × GA21, and genetically modified maizes combining two or three of the events Bt11, MIR162, MIR604 and GA21

The European Parliament adopted by 426 votes to 202, with 33 abstentions, a resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize Bt11 × MIR162 × MIR604 × GA21, and genetically modified maizes combining two or three of the events Bt11, MIR162, MIR604 and GA21, and repealing Decisions 2010/426/EU, 2011/893/EU, 2011/892/EU and 2011/894/EU.

Parliament considered that the draft Commission implementing decision exceeds the implementing powers provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and called on the Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision.

Members stressed that SYN-BTØ11-1 maize as well as MON-ØØØ21-9 maize outlined in the application presented by Syngenta France SAS confers protection against certain lepidopteran pests and that a protein makes them tolerant to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides.

However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer – the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation – classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans on 20 March 2015.

The Commission deplored the fact that, since the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, authorisation decisions had been adopted by the Commission, in accordance with the applicable legislation, without the support of the opinions of Member State committees and that the return of the dossier to the Commission for the final decision, which was very much the exception for the procedure as a whole, had become the norm for decision-making on genetically modified (GM) food and feed authorisations.