In the name of public health and the protection of global biodiversity, the European Parliament opposed, on Tuesday 12 September, market authorisation in the EU of two herbicide-tolerant varieties of genetically modified maize imported for food use.
In doing so, it followed the recommendation of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (see EUROPE 13225/7).
The first objection, adopted by 426 votes to 180 with 21 abstentions, concerns Monsanto/Bayer’s MON 87419 genetically modified maize tolerant to glufosinate and dicamba.
The second objection (427 votes in favour, 175 against, 13 abstentions) concerns Syngenta’s GA21 × T25 transgenic maize, which is tolerant to glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium herbicides.
To justify their opposition to the European Commission’s plans, MEPs also invoked, as they do every time, a democratic deficit in the authorisation procedure.
Each of these GMOs had received a favourable opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). With the Member States not achieving the qualified majority required to approve or reject these proposals, they were deemed not to have an opinion.
As Parliament’s objections are not legally binding, the European Commission alone will decide whether to go ahead with the authorisations. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)