P9_TA(2022)0115

Genetically modified soybean MON 87769 X MON 89788

European Parliament resolution of 6 April 2022 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87769 × MON 89788 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (D078875/02 — 2022/2566(RSP))

(2022/C 434/07)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87769 × MON 89788 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council,

— having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed (1), and in particular Article 7(3) and Article 19(3) thereof,

— having regard to the vote of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health referred to in Article 35 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, on 3 March 2022, at which no opinion was delivered,

— having regard to Articles 11 and 13 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers (2),

— having regard to the opinion adopted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on 17 September 2015, and published on 8 October 2015 (3),

— having regard to its previous resolutions objecting to the authorisation of genetically modified organisms (‘GMOs’) (4),

— having regard to Rule 112(2) and (3) of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the motion for a resolution by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety,

A. whereas on 27 July 2010, Monsanto Europe S.A./N.V., based in Belgium, submitted, on behalf of Monsanto Company, based in the United States, an application (‘the application’) for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87769 × MON 89788 (the ‘GM soybean’), in accordance with Articles 5 and 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003; whereas the application also covered the placing on the market of products containing or consisting of the GM soybean for uses other than food and feed, with the exception of cultivation;

B. whereas on 8 October 2015, EFSA issued an opinion, in accordance with Articles 6 and 18 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (5); whereas EFSA was not able to reach a conclusion on the safety of the GM soybean because of the lack of data on dietary exposure to refined, bleached, deodorised oil produced from the GM soybean, leading to an incomplete nutritional assessment; whereas EFSA concluded that the GM soybean is unlikely to have adverse effects on the environment in the context of the application;

C. whereas on 12 May 2021, EFSA published a statement complementing its scientific opinion (6), taking into account the revised dietary exposure assessment provided by the applicant for the human nutritional assessment of refined, bleached, deodorised oil produced from the GM soybean; whereas EFSA concluded that the consumption of the GM soybean and its derived products, in particular its refined, bleached, deodorised oil, does not represent a nutritional concern in humans;

D. whereas the GM soybean was developed to produce stearidonic acid (SDA) and to confer tolerance to glyphosate-based herbicides (7);

Lack of assessment of the complementary herbicide

E. whereas Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 503/2013 (8) requires an assessment of whether the expected agricultural practices influence the outcome of the studied endpoints; whereas, according to that Implementing Regulation, this is especially relevant for herbicide-tolerant plants;

F. whereas a number of studies show that herbicide-tolerant GM crops result in a higher use of complementary herbicides, in large part because of the emergence of herbicide-tolerant weeds (9); whereas, as a consequence, it has to be expected that the GM soybean will be exposed to both higher and repeated doses of glyphosate-based herbicides, and that therefore a higher quantity of residues and their breakdown products (‘metabolites’) may be present in the harvest;

G. whereas EFSA concluded in November 2015 that glyphosate was unlikely to be carcinogenic and the European Chemicals Agency concluded in March 2017 that no classification was warranted; whereas, on the contrary, in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen for humans;

H. whereas a recent peer-reviewed review describes the effects of exposure to glyphosate or glyphosate-based herbicides on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in males and females in terms of endocrine disruption, cell viability, and proliferation; whereas the review found that glyphosate-based herbicides can induce alterations in all the reproductive tracts in both males and females, that alterations can be transmitted to the next generations through epigenetics effects and so the fertility of offspring is not protected against the negative effects of glyphosate-based herbicides and that glyphosate-based herbicides were found to be more deleterious than glyphosate alone, undoubtedly related to the presence of formulants such as polyoxyethylene tallow amine (10);

I. whereas a number of other recent scientific peer-reviewed studies confirm the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate (11);

J. whereas, for one of the two field trials used for the comparative analysis, the treatment of the GM soybean with glyphosate-based herbicides, which would have allowed the herbicide effects to be assessed, was not included (12);

K. whereas assessment of herbicide residues and metabolites found on GM plants is considered outside the remit of the EFSA Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms and is therefore not undertaken as part of the authorisation process for GMOs; whereas this is problematic since the way in which complementary herbicides are broken down by the GM plant concerned, and the composition and thus toxicity of the metabolites, can be impacted by the genetic modification itself (13);

Member State competent authority comments

L. whereas Member States submitted many critical comments to EFSA during the three-month consultation period (14); whereas those critical comments include a comment that the basic EFSA requirements with regard to the trial design for the food and feed risk assessment of GM herbicide-tolerant plants are not fulfilled, that the monitoring plan does not relate the monitoring activities to relevant protection goals, that data and data analyses provided on phenotypic evaluation, composition, and toxicology are insufficient, that conclusions of equivalence of the GM soybean and conventional soybean, and on food and feed safety based on that information are premature, and that the compositional analysis did not comprise either residues of the complementary herbicide or its metabolites, which is of relevance since herbicide resistance conferred by genetic modification allows a more intensive use of the complementary herbicide; whereas comments were submitted which questioned the nutritional benefits of increased SDA levels and several Member State competent authorities called for a maximum level of trans-fatty acids for this SDA-rich GM soybean oil to be prescribed;

Upholding the Union’s international obligations

M. whereas a 2017 report by the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the right to food found that, particularly in developing countries, hazardous pesticides have catastrophic impacts on health (15); whereas the UN Sustainable Development Goal (‘SDG’) Target 3.9 aims by 2030 to substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination (16); whereas authorising the import of the GM soybean would increase demand for this crop, which is treated with glyphosate, thereby increasing the exposure of workers and the environment in third countries; whereas the risk of increased worker and environmental exposure is of particular concern in relation to herbicide-tolerant GM crops, given the higher volumes of herbicides used;

N. whereas, according to a peer-reviewed study published in 2020, Roundup, one of the world’s most widely used glyphosate-based herbicides, can trigger a loss of biodiversity, making ecosystems more vulnerable to pollution and climate change (17);

O. whereas deforestation is a major cause of biodiversity decline; whereas emissions from land-use and land-use change, mostly due to deforestation, are the second biggest cause of climate change after burning fossil fuels (18); whereas UN SDG 15 includes the target of halting deforestation by 2020 (19); whereas forests play a multifunctional role that supports the achievement of most UN SDGs (20);

P. whereas soya production is a key driver of deforestation in the Amazon, Cerrado and Gran Chaco forests in South America; whereas 97 % and 100 % of soya cultivated respectively in Brazil and Argentina is GM soya (21); whereas the vast majority of GM soybeans authorised for cultivation in Brazil and Argentina are also authorised for import into the Union;

Q. whereas the Union, as a party to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (‘UN CBD’), has the responsibility of ensuring that activities within its jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States (22);

R. whereas Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 states that GM food or feed must not have adverse effects on human health, animal health or the environment, and requires the Commission to take into account any relevant provisions of Union law and other legitimate factors relevant to the matter under consideration when drafting its decision; whereas such legitimate factors should include the Union’s obligations under the UN SDGs, the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN CBD;

Undemocratic decision-making

S. whereas the vote on 3 March 2022 of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health referred to in Article 35 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 delivered no opinion, meaning that the authorisation was not supported by a qualified majority of Member States;

T. whereas the Commission recognises that the fact that GMO authorisation decisions continue to be adopted by the Commission without a qualified majority of Member States in favour, which is very much the exception for product authorisations as a whole but has become the norm for decision-making on GM food and feed authorisations, is problematic;

U. whereas, in its eighth term, Parliament adopted a total of 36 resolutions objecting to the placing on the market of GMOs for food and feed (33 resolutions) and to the cultivation of GMOs in the Union (three resolutions); whereas, in its ninth term, Parliament has already adopted 26 objections to placing GMOs on the market; whereas there was not a qualified majority of Member States in favour of authorising any of those GMOs; whereas the reasons for Member States not supporting authorisations include lack of respect for the precautionary principle in the authorisation process and scientific concerns relating to the risk assessment;

V. whereas despite its own acknowledgement of the democratic shortcomings, the lack of support from Member States and the objections of Parliament, the Commission continues to authorise GMOs;

W. whereas no change of law is required for the Commission to be able not to authorise GMOs when there is no qualified majority of Member States in favour in the Appeal Committee (23);

1. Considers that the draft Commission implementing decision exceeds the implementing powers provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003;

2. Considers that the draft Commission implementing decision is not consistent with Union law, in that it is not compatible with the aim of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, which is, in accordance with the general principles laid down in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 24 ) , to provide the basis for ensuring a high level of protection of human life and health, animal health and welfare, and environmental and consumer interests, in relation to GM food and feed, while ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market;

3. Calls on the Commission to withdraw its draft implementing decision;

4. Calls on the Commission not to authorise the import of herbicide-tolerant GM crops, due to the associated increased use of complementary herbicides and therefore the increased risks to biodiversity, food safety and worker health;

5. Welcomes the fact that the Commission finally recognised, in a letter of 11 September 2020 to Members, the need to take sustainability into account when it comes to authorisation decisions on GMOs ( 25 ) ; expresses its deep disappointment, however, that, since then the Commission has continued to authorise GMOs for import into the Union, despite ongoing objections by Parliament and a majority of Member States voting against;

6. Calls on the Commission to immediately suspend the import of GM soybeans cultivated in Brazil and Argentina, using Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 if necessary, until effective legally binding mechanisms have been put in place to prevent the placing on the Union market of products associated with deforestation and related human rights violations;

7. Urges the Commission, again, to take into account the Union’s obligations under international agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN CBD and the UN SDGs; reiterates its call for draft implementing acts to be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum explaining how they uphold the principle of ‘do no harm’ ( 26 )

8. Highlights that the amendments adopted by the European Parliament on 17 December 2020 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 ( 27 ) , which were adopted in Parliament as a basis for negotiations with the Council, state that the Commission shall not authorise GMOs when there is not a qualified majority of Member States in favour; insists that the Commission respect this position and calls on the Council to proceed with its work and adopt a general approach on this file as a matter of urgency;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, and to the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13.

(3) Scientific Opinion of the EFSA Panel on an application (EFSA-GMO-NL-2010-85) for the placing on the market of MON 87769 × MON 89788 soybean, genetically modified to contain stearidonic acid and be tolerant to glyphosate for food and feed uses, import and processing under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from Monsanto, EFSA Journal 2015; 13(10):4256, https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4256

(4) In its eighth term, Parliament adopted 36 resolutions objecting to the authorisation of GMOs. Furthermore, in its ninth term Parliament has adopted the following resolutions:

— European Parliament resolution of 10 October 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MZHG0JG (SYN-ØØØJG-2), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 202, 28.5.2021, p. 11).

— European Parliament resolution of 10 October 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean A2704-12 (ACS-GMØØ5-3) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 202, 28.5.2021, p. 15).

— European Parliament resolution of 10 October 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 89034 × 1507 × MON 88017 × 59122 × DAS-40278-9 and genetically modified maize combining two, three or four of the single events MON 89034, 1507, MON 88017, 59122 and DAS-40278-9 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 202, 28.5.2021, p. 20).

— European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton LLCotton25 (ACS-GHØØ1-3) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 208, 1.6.2021, p. 2).

— European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 89788 (MON-89788-1) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 208, 1.6.2021, p. 7).

— European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 89034 × 1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 and sub-combinations MON 89034 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9, 1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 and NK603 × DAS-40278-9 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 208, 1.6.2021, p. 12).

— European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2019 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize Bt11 × MIR162 × MIR604 × 1507 × 5307 × GA21 and genetically modified maize combining two, three, four or five of the single events Bt11, MIR162, MIR604, 1507, 5307 and GA21 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 208, 1.6.2021, p. 18).

— European Parliament resolution of 14 May 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87708 × MON 89788 × A5547-127, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 323, 11.8.2021, p. 7).

— European Parliament resolution of 11 November 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and NK603, and repealing Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1111 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 415, 13.10.2021, p. 2).

— European Parliament resolution of 11 November 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean SYHT0H2 (SYN-ØØØH2-5), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 415, 13.10.2021, p. 8).

— European Parliament resolution of 11 November 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 87460 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two, three or four of the single events MON 87427, MON 87460, MON 89034, MIR162 and NK603, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 415, 13.10.2021, p. 15).

— European Parliament resolution of 17 December 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87751 × MON 87701 × MON 87708 × MON 89788, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 36).

— European Parliament resolution of 17 December 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × MON 87411 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and MON 87411 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 43).

— European Parliament resolution of 17 December 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MIR604 (SYN-IR6Ø4-5) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 49).

— European Parliament resolution of 17 December 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 88017 (MON-88Ø17-3) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 56).

— European Parliament resolution of 17 December 2020 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 89034 (MON-89Ø34-3) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 63).

— European Parliament resolution of 11 March 2021 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB614 × T304-40 × GHB119 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 474, 24.11.2021, p. 66).

— European Parliament resolution of 11 March 2021 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MZIR098 (SYN-ØØØ98-3), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 474, 24.11.2021, p. 74).

— European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2021 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean DAS-81419-2 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 99, 1.3.2022, p. 45).

— European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2021 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean DAS-81419-2 × DAS–44406–6, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 99, 1.3.2022, p. 52).

— European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2021 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize 1507 ×MIR162 × MON810 × NK603 and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events 1507, MIR162, MON810 and NK603, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 99, 1.3.2022, p. 59).

— European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2021 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize Bt 11 (SYN-BTØ11-1) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C 99, 1.3.2022, p. 66).

— European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2022 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean GMB151 (BCS-GM151-6) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0024).

— European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2022 on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB614 (BCS-GHØØ2-5) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0025).

— European Parliament resolution of 9 March 2022 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB811 (BCS-GH811-4), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0062).

— European Parliament resolution of 9 March 2022 on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified oilseed rape 73496 (DP-Ø73496-4) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0063).

(5) Scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms on an application (EFSA-GMO-NL-2010-85) for the placing on the market of MON 87769 × MON 89788 soybean, genetically modified to contain stearidonic acid and be tolerant to glyphosate for food and feed uses, import and processing under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from Monsanto. EFSA Journal 2015; 13(10):4256, https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4256.

(6) Statement of the EFSA Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms complementing the EFSA Scientific Opinion on application (EFSA-GMO-NL-2010-85) for authorisation of food and feed containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87769 × MON 89788. EFSA Journal 2021; 19(5):6589, https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6589.

(7) EFSA opinion, p. 7.

(8) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 503/2013 of 3 April 2013 on applications for authorisation of genetically modified food and feed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulations (EC) No 641/2004 and (EC) No 1981/2006 (OJ L 157, 8.6.2013, p. 1).

(9) See, for example, Bonny, S., ‘Genetically Modified Herbicide-Tolerant Crops, Weeds, and Herbicides: Overview and Impact’, Environmental Management, January 2016; 57(1), pp. 31-48, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26296738 and Benbrook, C.M., ‘Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S. — the first sixteen years’, Environmental Sciences Europe; 28 September 2012, Vol. 24(1), https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2190-4715-24-24

(10) Serra, L.; Estienne, A.; Vasseur, C.; Froment, P.; Dupont, J., ‘Review: Mechanisms of Glyphosate and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Action in Female and Male Fertility in Humans and Animal Models’, 2021, Cells, 10(11): 3079, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10113079

(11) See, for example, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383574218300887,

https://academic.oup.com/ije/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ije/dyz017/5382278,

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0219610, and

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6612199/

(12) EFSA opinion, p. 10.

(13) This is indeed the case for glyphosate, as stated in the reasoned opinion of EFSA ‘Review of the existing maximum residue levels for glyphosate according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005’, EFSA Journal 2018; 16(5):5263, p. 12, https://www.efsa.europa.eu/fr/efsajournal/pub/5263

(14) Member States comments, accessible via the EFSA register of questions: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/register-of-questions

(15) https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Food/Pages/Pesticides.aspx

(16) https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/

(17) https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/widely-used-weed-killer-harming-biodiversity-320906

(18) Commission communication of 23 July 2019 entitled ‘Stepping up EU action to Protect and Restore the World’s forests’ (COM(2019)0352), p. 1.

(19) See target 15.2: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/biodiversity/.

(20) Commission communication of 23 July 2019 entitled ‘Stepping up EU action to Protect and Restore the World’s forests’ (COM(2019)0352), p. 2.

(21) International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, ‘Global status of Commercialized Biotech/GM crops in 2017: Biotech Crop Adoption Surges as Economic Benefits Accumulate in 22 Years’, ISAAA Brief No. 53 (2017), pp. 16 and 21, https://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/53/download/isaaa-brief-53-2017.pdf.

(22) Convention on Biological Diversity, Article 3, https://www.cbd.int/convention/articles/?a=cbd-03

(23) The Commission ‘may’, and not ‘shall’, go ahead with authorisation if there is no qualified majority of Member States in favour at the Appeal Committee, according to Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 (Article 6(3)).

(24) Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1).

(25) https://tillymetz.lu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Co-signed-letter-MEP-Metz.pdf

(26) European Parliament resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal (OJ C 270, 7.7.2021, p. 2), paragraph 102.

(27) OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 257.