On Wednesday, 6 November, the European Parliament’s environment committee once again opposed the Commission’s proposal to approve or renew the authorisation to import GMOs that are resistant to glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium into the EU for public health, environmental protection, and biodiversity reasons.
The objections that were voted on concerned the cotton LLCotton25 (ACS-GHØØØ1-3), the soybean MON89788 (LUN 89788-1), the hybrid maize MON89034 × 1507 × 1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 and its sub-combinations, and the maize Bt11 × MIR162 × MIR604 × 1507 × 5307 × GA21 and its sub-combinations.
MEPs point to not only shortcomings in EFSA’s risk assessments, notably concerning herbicide residues, and criticism from several Member States but also a democratic deficit in the authorisation procedure.
As usual, they also lament the fact that draft decisions implemented by the Commission aim to authorise such GMOs in the absence of a qualified majority of Member States to support it despite systematic objections from the European Parliament.
Parliament will vote during its plenary session from 12 to 14 November in Brussels. If it adopts these objections, they will not be legally binding on the Commission. The latter has the authority to make the final decision in the absence of a qualified majority of Member States to approve or reject the draft authorisation. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)