Once again - still for reasons of public health, animal health and protection of the environment - the members of the European Parliament’s environment committee objected, in two separate votes on Tuesday 20 February, to the European Commission’s proposal to authorise the marketing of transgenic maize varieties within the EU, intended for both animal and human consumption.
The first veto concerns renewal of the marketing authorisation for maize 59122 (DAS-59122-7) as well as products containing this GMO or based on it. Renewal was jointly requested by Pioneer Overseas Corporation and DowAgroSciences Ltd.
MEPs approved the objection submitted by Bart Staes (Greens/EFA), Lynn Boylan (GUE/NGL), Guillaume Balas (S&D), Valentinas Mazuronis (ALDE) and Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP), due, in particular, to concerns relating to the initial scientific risk assessment made by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which was judged insufficient, and the resistance of the GMO to glufosinate, classified as toxic for reproduction.
In the second case, the members of the committee were opposed to the Commission’s proposal to authorise the marketing of products containing or based on hybrid maize MON 87427 x MON 89034 x NK603 (MON-87427-7 x MON-89O34-3 x MON-OO6O3-6) and the transgenic maize combining two of the MON 87427, MON 89034 and NK603 traits. Resistance to glyphosate and deficiencies in the scientific risk assessment by EFSA appear among the motives for the objection voted on. This was put forward by Bart Staes, Lynn Boylan, Eleonora Evi, Guillaume Balas, Valentinas Mazuronis and Sirpa Pietikäinen.
It will be up to the European Parliament to take a stance in plenary session. As an objection from the Parliament does not have a legally binding nature, it is likely that, if the Parliament follows its environment committee, the European Commission will go ahead on the basis of the favourable opinions from the EFSA, which are behind these proposals. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)