Resolution on the draft Commission Implementing Decision of renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council

The European Parliament adopted by 479 votes to 173, with 8 abstentions, a resolution objecting to the draft Commission Implementing Decision of renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/6845 authorised the placing on the market of food and feed containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 (GM maize). The scope of that authorisation also covers the placing on the market of products, other than food and feed, containing or consisting of genetically modified maize NK603 for the same uses as any other maize, with the exception of cultivation.

On 11 March 2024, Bayer Agriculture B.V., based in Belgium, submitted on behalf of Bayer CropScience LP, based in the United States, an application to the Commission for the renewal of that authorisation.

On 20 June 2025, EFSA issued a favourable scientific opinion on the GM maize, in which it concluded that the renewal application did not contain evidence of any new hazards, modified exposure or scientific uncertainties that would change the conclusions of the original risk assessment on the GM maize, adopted by EFSA in 2009.

Genetically modified maize has been developed to confer tolerance to glyphosate.

Lack of assessment

Those opinions did not address several broader environmental, socio-economic, and cumulative impacts which EFSA considers to fall outside its remit. The risk assessments carried out by EFSA did not include long-term toxicological studies or detailed analysis of cumulative and combinatorial effects, including potential interactions with residues of pesticides commonly used in maize cultivation.

According to the resolution, independent monitoring and surveillance of potential adverse effects on biodiversity, soil health, pollinators and non-target organisms remain insufficiently guaranteed.

Moreover, the Commission implementing decision would continue to allow imports into the Union that do not comply with the standards observed by Union farmers, thereby placing them at a competitive disadvantage.

Parliament has repeatedly stressed that the Commission should not authorise GMOs in cases where no qualified majority is reached by Member States in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed or the Appeal Committee, in order to address the persistent democratic deficit.

Recommendations

Based on these considerations, Parliament considered that the Commission's implementing decision exceeds the implementing powers provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and that it is not consistent EU law. Consequently, it called on the Commission to:

- withdraw its implementing decision;

- not to renew the authorisation of the GM maize due to the lack of sufficient evidence on long-term impacts on biodiversity, food safety, farmers’ livelihoods and animal health, in line with the One Health approach;

- submit, without delay, a legislative proposal to reform the decision-making procedure on GMOs in order to respond to the consistent objections of Parliament and the lack of qualified majority support among Member States;

- take into account the Union’s obligations under international agreements, such as the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.