The European Parliament, acting as usual to protect public health and environment, vetoed on Wednesday 13 March the Commission's plans to authorise GMOs intended for human or animal consumption to be placed on the market in the EU.
It objected by 442 votes (160 against, 20 abstentions) to DuPont Pioneer's DP-ØØ4114-3 pest-resistant and glufosinate tolerant maize; by 435 votes (156 against, 30 abstentions) to MON 87411-9 maize with the Bt gene and tolerant to herbicides containing glyphosate; by 431 votes (157 against, 30 abstentions) to Bt11xMIR162x1507xGA21 and its subcombinations.
Parliament invoked an insufficient risk assessment by the EFSA. Objection by Parliament is not legally binding. The Commission will therefore move forward with the authorisation of these products, as it does each time. (Aminata Niang)