In the name of public health and environmental protection, MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Health and Food Safety (ENVI) opposed, on Thursday 31 March, a draft implementing a decision by the European Commission to authorise the placing on the EU market of a glyphosate-tolerant genetically modified soya.
The objection to the import of MON 87769 x MON 89788 and to the placing on the market of all products produced from this GMO was adopted by a narrow majority (53 votes in favour, 51 against, 1 abstention).
Once again, MEPs are citing shortcomings in the scientific assessment undertaken of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the undemocratic procedure whereby the Commission alone takes the decision on the basis of a favourable EFSA opinion, while Member States have not obtained the qualified majority required to either approve or reject the authorisation proposal.
They are calling on the European Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision. They are also reiterating their disappointment that after recognising the need to take sustainability into account in its decisions in September 2020, the institution has continued to allow the import of GMOs into the EU, despite the European Parliament’s constant objections and the negative vote of a majority of Member States.
See the draft resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/12j (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)