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 oilseed rape MON 88302, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council

B100490/2025

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 oilseed rape MON 88302, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(D109632/01 – 2025/2895(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the draft Commission implementing decision on renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified oilseed rape MON 88302 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (D109632/01),

– 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) 2015/687 of 24 April 2015 authorised the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified oilseed rape MON 88302 (the ‘GM oilseed rape);

B. whereas on 28 February 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, in accordance with Articles 11 and 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, for the renewal of that authorisation; whereas the scope of that authorisation also covers the placing on the market of products, other than food and feed, containing or consisting of the GM oilseed rape for the same uses as any other oilseed rape, 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 issued in 2014;

D. whereas the GM oilseed rape is tolerant to glyphosate; whereas glyphosate use is linked to biodiversity decline, soil and water contamination, and health concerns;

E. whereas EFSA’s opinion did not sufficiently consider cumulative and combinatorial effects, indirect environmental impacts, and socio-economic consequences of intensified herbicide use;

F. whereas genetically modified oilseed rape is prone to uncontrolled spread and gene flow, with cases of feral genetically modified oilseed rape populations already documented in several Member States, creating difficulties for coexistence, long-term monitoring, and eradication;

G. whereas the monitoring plan for environmental effects provided for in the draft Commission implementing decision relies mainly on general surveillance and does not provide for specific, independent long-term studies on pollinators, soil organisms, and non-target plants;

H. whereas the precautionary principle, enshrined in Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, should apply given the scientific uncertainties and evidence of potential persistence and spread of genetically modified oilseed rape in the environment;

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;

K. whereas the One Health approach requires an integrated view of risks and impacts across human, animal, plant and environmental health, which is not ensured in the current assessment;

L. 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 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 oilseed rape due to concerns regarding gene flow, environmental persistence, herbicide use, 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.