PAN MEP insists that Commission must reject import authorisation of GM soybean

Lisbon, 12 June 2020 – MEP Francisco Guerreiro (Greens/EFA) joined a call from MEPs that want the European Commission to reject the pending import authorisation of genetically modified soybean.

The signatories remind that besides the health risks posed by GM soybean, “the global soya trade is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions”. 

“Soya production is a key driver of deforestation in the Amazon, Cerrado and Gran Chaco forests in South America and 97% and 100% of soya cultivated respectively in Brazil and Argentina is GM soya [MON 87708 × MON 89788 × A5547-127]. As you know, deforestation is a major cause of biodiversity decline and emissions from land-use and land-use change, mostly due to deforestation, are the second biggest cause of climate change after burning fossil fuels,” MEPs write.

They also observe that, according to the Commission itself, “soya has historically been the Union’s number one contributor  to global deforestation and related emissions, accounting for nearly half of the deforestation  embodied in all Union imports”. 

This request comes after the European Parliament rejected the EC proposal to authorise the import of this soybean with a resolution adopted on 14 May 2020 that garnered the largest number ever of votes in favour (477). 

However, this resolution was the 43rd objection to GM food and feed import authorisations that the Parliament has adopted since December 2015, and the European Commission has gone ahead with the authorisation of 42 of these GMOs.

Read the full letter below.

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