On 8 July 2026, the European Parliament adopted a resolution objecting to Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1417 of 29 June 2026, which renewed the authorisation for placing on the EU market products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 × T25. The resolution, adopted by the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, argues that the Commission exceeded its implementing powers under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and that the decision is incompatible with EU law, particularly the aim of ensuring a high level of protection for human and animal health, the environment, and consumer interests. It calls on the Commission to repeal the decision and not to renew the authorisation, citing insufficient evidence on long-term impacts on biodiversity, food safety, farmers' livelihoods, and animal health, in line with the One Health approach.
The resolution is the latest step in a long-running EU policy process on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Member States failed to reach a qualified majority in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed on 27 April 2026 and again in the Appeal Committee on 2 June 2026, leaving the Commission to adopt the decision on its own. Parliament has consistently opposed such authorisations, and this resolution reiterates its objection to the Commission's practice of approving GMOs without sufficient Member State consensus or scientific certainty. The resolution also calls on the Commission to submit a legislative proposal to reform the GMO decision-making procedure, addressing the repeated lack of qualified majority support and parliamentary objections.
The resolution highlights that authorising imports of GM plants tolerant to herbicides such as glufosinate, which is banned in the EU, is inconsistent with international commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Framework. It argues that this creates an uneven playing field for EU farmers, who cannot use the same herbicides, and conflicts with EU pesticide reduction goals. The resolution reinforces the precautionary principle and the One Health approach in EU GMO risk assessment, and it puts political pressure on the Commission to reconsider or repeal the contested decision. If the Commission does not act, the resolution could lead to further institutional tension, as Parliament has repeatedly objected to GMO authorisations without a qualified majority of Member States, highlighting a democratic deficit in the current procedure. The call for legislative reform could eventually change how the Commission exercises implementing powers under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, potentially giving Parliament and Member States a stronger role. Trade implications may arise if the EU maintains restrictions on GM imports that are authorised elsewhere, affecting relations with trading partners and the competitiveness of EU farmers.