Glenis Willmott (S&D), in writing. — This was not a vote for or against GMOs, but on giving Member States the right to limit or ban GMOs on their territory even if the European Food Safety Authority has assessed them as safe or the Commission has approved them. The proposal will allow Member States to opt out of GMO cultivation at a national level, effectively giving Member States the last word on GMO cultivation.

The proposal includes strengthened environmental impact assessments for GMOs, and coexistence measures for border areas, so that traditional crops cannot be contaminated by GM crops in a Member State that has opted out. Labour MEPs also supported amendments in the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee that removed the Council-backed idea of a phase of negotiations with agrichemical companies as part of negotiations over banning the cultivation of GMOs.

My Labour colleagues and I voted in favour of this proposal because it provides a sound basis for Member States to have a democratic and flexible national opt-out on GMO cultivation.