On Tuesday 22 June, MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) vetoed - in the name of health and environmental protection - the granting or renewal of marketing authorisations within the EU for GMOs to be used in human and animal food.
Under discussion were European Commission proposals for a number of transgenic, often hybrid, herbicide-resistant soybean and maize varieties. In all cases, the MEPs’ opposition concerns both GMOs and products containing them, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed.
Four draft objections were adopted. For example, MEPs objected to the marketing authorisation of DAS-81419-2 soybeans (48 votes in favour, 28 against and 3 abstentions), DAS-81419-2 × DAS-44406-6 hybrid soybeans (49 votes in favour, 27 against and 3 abstentions), and 1507 × MIR162 × MON810 × NK603 hybrid maize (49 votes in favour, 28 against and 2 abstentions).
The objection to the renewal of the authorisation of Bt 11 maize (SYN-BTØ11-1) was adopted with the same majority (49 votes in favour, 28 against and 2 abstentions).
As usual, the Parliamentary Committee cites shortcomings in the risk assessment of these GMOs and a democratic deficit in the authorisation procedure. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)