GM Cotton T304‑40 License Not Renewed

European Parliament resolution P10_TA(2026)0044, adopted 11 February 2026, deals with the renewal of the EU authorisation for genetically modified cotton T304‑40 under Regulation 1829/2003.

• The renewal was based on a 2025 EFSA scientific opinion that found no new hazards, but the opinion did not cover long‑term toxicology, cumulative effects or environmental impacts.
• The cotton is engineered to resist certain moths and to tolerate the herbicide glufosinate, which is classified as reproductive toxicant 1B and whose EU approval expired 31 July 2018.
• Parliament notes that herbicide‑tolerant GM crops tend to increase herbicide use, accelerate the development of herbicide‑resistant weeds (the “herbicide treadmill”), and harm soil health, water quality, pollinators and biodiversity.
• It also highlights insufficient monitoring of adverse effects and the lack of a qualified majority in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed or the Appeal Committee, pointing to a democratic deficit.
• The resolution calls for the Commission to withdraw the renewal decision, not to renew the authorisation, and to submit a legislative proposal to reform the GMO decision‑making process.
• It stresses the precautionary principle, the One Health approach, and the EU’s commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming‑Montreal Framework, which aim to cut pesticide risk by 50 % by 2030.
• The Parliament has adopted 36 resolutions in its eighth term and 38 in its ninth term objecting to GMOs, and the Commission continues to authorise GMOs despite these objections.