Resolution on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB614 × LLCotton25 × MON 15985

The European Parliament adopted by 465 votes to 122 with 55 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 cotton GHB614 × LLCotton25 × MON 15985 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The application for marketing authorisation was submitted on 11 February 2011 by Bayer CropScience AG to the competent national authority of the Netherlands.

Comments from the Parliament and the Member States

Parliament pointed out that GM cotton GHB614 × LLCotton25 × MON 15985 expresses the protein 2mEPSPS, which confers tolerance to glyphosate-containing herbicides, the PAT protein, which confers tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium-based herbicides and the Cry1Ac and Cry1Ab2 proteins, which confer protection against certain lepidopteran pests.

In addition, the plant produces proteins (NPTII and AAD) that confer resistance to antibiotics.

Parliament stressed:

- that the use of glufosinate was no longer authorised in the Union since 1 August 2018, as it has been classified as toxic for reproduction and questions remain about the carcinogenicity of glyphosate;

- that the presence of the EPSPS protein may lead to higher levels of gossypol (a naturally occurring toxic constituent of cotton) in GM plants containing this protein;

- that despite the fact that Cry1 proteins have been recognised as having adjuvant properties, which means that they could enhance the allergenic properties of other foodstuffs, this aspect has not been analysed by EFSA;

- that Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council requires special attention to be paid to GMOs that contain genes expressing resistance to antibiotics used for medical or veterinary treatments when assessing environmental risks.

Many critical observations were made by the competent authorities during the three-month consultation period following the publication of the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in March 2018, including, among other things, the above-mentioned aspects.

Decision-making process

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

On the basis of these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission's implementing decision exceeded the implementing powers provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003. He therefore called on the Commission to:

- withdraw its draft implementing decision;

- not to authorise the import of genetically modified plants intended for human or animal consumption which have been made tolerant to a herbicide not authorised in the Union, in this case glufosinate;

- not to authorise herbicide-tolerant GM plants without a full evaluation of the residues of the spraying of complementary herbicides, their metabolites and commercial formulae as used in the countries where these plants are grown;

- take full account of the risk assessment of the use of complementary herbicides and their residues in the risk assessment of herbicide-tolerant GM plants, whether the plant concerned is intended for cultivation in the Union or is imported into the Union as food or feed;

- not allow GM plants that contain antimicrobial resistant genes;

- suspend any implementing decision on applications for authorisation of genetically modified organisms until the authorisation procedure has been revised in order to remedy the shortcomings of the current procedure, which has proved inadequate;

- withdraw proposals for authorisations of GMOs – whether for cultivation or for food and feed purposes – if the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health does not deliver an opinion.

Parliament reiterated its commitment to make progress in its work on the Commission's proposal to amend Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. It asked the Council to give urgent attention to completing its work on this Commission proposal.