MEPs opposed the Commission’s draft implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing genetically modified soya MON 87705 x MON 87708 x MON 89788 by 373 votes to 150, with 10 abstentions, at the European Parliament’s plenary session on Thursday 8 May.
Parliament regularly objects to these plans to authorise GMOs, without being heard by the European Commission. The day before, on Wednesday 7 May, MEPs had organised a debate on “democratic legitimacy and the Commission’s continued authorisation of genetically modified organisms despite Parliament’s objections”.
During the discussion, Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, German) summed up the situation as follows: “Parliament has opposed the import of genetically modified maize – and especially soya – 84 times. In the EU Council, no qualified majority was reached. And yet the Commission has dismissed all these concerns out of hand (...), as if what Parliament says has no value”.
The tone was the same from The Left and the ECR. Nikólas Farantoúris (The Left, Greek) felt that the health of European citizens was “too important” for decisions to be taken “against” the will of their representatives. “We can no longer tolerate imports of genetically modified foods and organisms that are banned in Europe”, said Paolo Inselvini (ECR, Italian).
Esther Herranz Garcia (EPP, Spanish) does not see this as a lack of democratic legitimacy, but rather “a lack of respect [on the part of MEPs] for the scientific opinions of our independent European agencies” (EFSA and ECHA).
Present at the debates, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Olivér Várhelyi, confirmed that the Commission was following the decisions taken by these agencies: “The Commission firmly believes that it is not exceeding its implementing powers when it grants authorisations on the basis of a favourable opinion from EFSA showing that there are no risks to human or animal health or to the environment”. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)