Resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize 1507 × 59122 × MON 810 × NK603, and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events 1507, 59122, MON 810 and NK603

The European Parliament adopted by 451 votes to 199, with 37 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 1507 × 59122 × MON 810 × NK603, and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events 1507, 59122, MON 810 and NK603, and repealing Decisions 2009/815/EC, 2010/428/EU and 2010/432/EU pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed.

On 3 February 2011, Pioneer Overseas Corporation submitted, on behalf of Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., United States, an application for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize 1507 × 59122 × MON 810 × NK603 or the placing on the market of products consisting of or containing genetically modified maize 1507 × 59122 × MON 810 × NK603 for uses other than food and feed, with the exception of cultivation.

Although the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a favourable opinion, an independent study concluded that EFSA risk assessment should not be accepted, in particular because EFSA did not request empirical data on toxicity and the effects on the immune system, the environmental risk assessment is unacceptable because it is based on erroneous assumptions, and no system has been foreseen for case-by-case monitoring of releases and their potential health effects.

Parliament recalled that GM maize is derived from crossing four genetically engineered maize events: 1507; 59122 and MON810 produce the insecticidal protein resistant to the herbicide glufosinate; NK603 produces two enzymes rendering resistance to the herbicide glyphosate.

Questions concerning the carcinogenicity of glyphosate remain. In 2015, the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen for humans.

The Commission has repeatedly deplored the fact that since the current authorisation procedure for GMOs entered into force, every authorisation decision has been taken by the Commission without the support of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. Thus, the return of the dossier to the Commission for a final decision, which should have been an exception, has become the norm in the decision-making process on genetically modified food and feed authorisations.

On the basis of these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission implementing decision is not compatible with Union law which provides the basis for ensuring a high level of protection of human life and health, animal health and welfare, the environment and consumer interests, while ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market.

Parliament therefore called on the Commission to:

• withdraw its draft implementing decision;
• suspend any implementing decisions regarding applications for authorisation of GMOs until the authorisation procedure has been revised in such a way as to address the shortcomings of the current procedure;
• uphold its commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, by suspending all imports of glyphosate-tolerant GM plants;
• refuse to authorise the import of any genetically modified plant for food or feed uses which has been made tolerant to a herbicide which is not authorised for use in the Union (in this case glufosinate, the authorisation of which expires on 31 July 2018);
• refuse to authorise any herbicide-tolerant GM plants without full assessment of the residues from spraying with complementary herbicides and their commercial formulations as applied in the countries of cultivation;
• integrate the risk assessment of the application of complementary herbicides and their residues into the risk assessment of herbicidetolerant GM plants, regardless of whether the GM plant concerned is to be cultivated in the Union or for import into the Union for food and feed.

Parliament reiterated its commitment to advancing work on the Commission proposal amending Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 in order to ensure that, inter alia, if no opinion is delivered by the Food Chain and Animal Health Standing Committee with respect to GMO approvals, whether for cultivation or for food and feed, the Commission will withdraw the proposal. It called on the Council to move forward with its work on the same Commission proposal as a matter of urgency.