On Commission Implementing Decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from… genetically modified soybean MON 87708, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council

B100493/2025

European Parliament resolution 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 87708, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (D109633/01 – 2025/2896(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to 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 87708 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (D 109633/01),

–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 , and in particular Article 11(3) and Article 23(3) thereof,

–having regard to the vote of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed referred to in Article 35 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, on 15 September 2025,

–having regard to Article 11 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,

–having regard to the opinion adopted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on 26 March 2025, and published on 13 May 2025,

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

–having regard to Rule 115(2) and (3) of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety,

A.whereas Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/700 of 24 April 2015 authorised the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87708 (the ‘GM soybean’);

B.whereas on 8 March 2024, Bayer Agriculture B.V., based in Belgium, on behalf of Bayer CropScience LP, based in the United States of America, submitted an application to the Commission for the renewal of that authorisation; whereas the scope of that authorisation also covered the placing on the market of products other than food and feed containing or consisting of the GM soybean, for the same uses as any other soybean, with the exception of cultivation;

C.whereas EFSA issued a favourable opinion on 26 March 2025, concluding that the renewal application did not contain evidence of new hazards, modified exposure or scientific uncertainties that would change the conclusions of its original risk assessment adopted in 2013;

D.whereas EFSA’s opinion did not sufficiently address cumulative and combinatorial effects, indirect health risks, or long-term ecological consequences of large-scale dicamba use;

E.whereas the GM soybean is tolerant to dicamba, a herbicide associated with significant risks for biodiversity, soil and water health, as well as with off-field drift causing damage to neighbouring crops and ecosystems;

F.whereas the expansion of dicamba-resistant GM soybeans in exporting countries has been linked to widespread herbicide drift, farmer disputes and ecosystem impacts, highlighting socio-economic and environmental concerns;

G.whereas the monitoring for environmental effects provided for in the Commission draft implementing decision relies on general surveillance and does not include targeted studies on pollinators, soil organisms or aquatic species;

H.whereas the precautionary principle, enshrined in Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, should apply in cases of scientific uncertainty and documented risks from complementary herbicide use;

I.whereas Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 requires that GM food and feed must not have adverse effects on human health, animal health or the environment;

J.whereas the One Health approach requires taking into account the interlined impacts of GM-crop authorisations across human, animal, plant and environmental health, which is not adequately reflected in the current assessment;

K.whereas Parliament has repeatedly objected to the authorisation or renewal of GMOs in cases where no qualified majority is reached among Member States in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed or the Appeal Committee, underlining the persistent democratic deficit in the GMO authorisation procedure;

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 incompatible 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, 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 and in line with the precautionary principle;

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

4.Calls on the Commission not to renew the authorisation of the GM soybean due to the risks associated with dicamba use, environmental impacts and insufficient long-term evidence, in line with the One Health approach;

5.Calls on the Commission to submit, without delay, a legislative proposal to reform the decision-making procedure on GMOs in order to respond to the consistent objections of Parliament and the lack of qualified majority support among Member States;

6.Urges the Commission to take into account the Union’s obligations under international agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals;

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