Brussels, 13/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - The outcome was never in any doubt. The European Commission proposal that member states should be able to restrict or prohibit the sale and use of EU-approved GMO food or feed on its territory was overwhelmingly rejected by the European Parliament's environment, public health and food safety committee in Brussels on Tuesday 13 October.
The committee massively opposed the proposal (47 votes to 3, with 5 abstentions) to amend Regulation 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed. MEPs had on several occasions previously argued that it might prove unworkable, was incompatible with WTO rules and could fragment the internal market and harm the competitiveness of the EU agricultural sector. They had threatened to reject the proposal. Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis gave notice that there was no plan B if the proposal was thrown out (see EUROPE 11362).
Turning a deaf ear to the warning, the environment committee carried out its threat and called on the European Parliament to follow its lead when it votes in plenary session at the end of the month (in Strasbourg, 26-29 October).
The proposal, modelled on the new legislation that allows cultivation of GM crops to be restricted or prohibited in the EU, was presented by the Commission on 22 April as the way to democratise the GMO authorisation procedure in the EU, giving member states freedom of choice, so long as they provide compelling reasons which are compatible with the internal market and multilateral trade rules to justify their national restriction or prohibition measures.
“A clear majority in the committee does not want to jeopardise the internal market. For us, the existing legislation should remain in place, and member states should shoulder their responsibilities and take a decision together at EU level, instead of introducing national bans”, said committee chair Giovanni La Via (EPP, Italy). It was for these same reasons that the proposal failed to find favour with the Parliament's agriculture committee (see EUROPE 11381).
“This proposal conflicts with the principles of 'better regulation' and transparency which the new European Commission has taken on board”, La Via added.
Bart Staes (Greens/EFA, Belgium), group spokesperson on food safety, said: “We would urge the Commission to heed the result of today's vote and come forward with a new proposal that properly addresses the major flaws with the EU authorisation process”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)