Hold off on selling a risky GM sugar beet until safety is proven.

Summary – EU Parliament Resolution on Genetically Modified Sugar Beet KWS20‑1 (16 Dec 2025)

• What it is: The resolution concerns a GM sugar beet called KWS20‑1 that was submitted for market approval on 30 May 2023 by Bayer and KWS.
• Regulatory background: The decision is based on Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and the draft Commission implementing decision D110122/02. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a favourable opinion on 12 May 2025 stating the beet is “as safe as conventional beet”, but the opinion did not cover long‑term toxicity or the combined effects of the herbicides the beet tolerates.
• Herbicide tolerance: The beet is engineered to survive three herbicides – glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate.
  • Glyphosate: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as a probable human carcinogen; recent studies support this.
  • Dicamba: Very volatile; can drift into the air, damaging neighbouring crops and causing legal disputes.
  • Glufosinate: Classified as toxic to reproduction (1B) under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009; its EU approval expired 31 July 2018.
• Environmental and health concerns:
  • Higher herbicide use can lead to weed resistance (“herbicide treadmill”), worsening soil health, water quality and biodiversity.
  • No long‑term studies on toxicity or cumulative effects of the herbicides have been done.
  • Field trials were only in the United States, not in the varied climates of the EU.
  • Monitoring of impacts on pollinators, non‑target organisms and soil health is insufficient.
• Legal and policy issues:
  • The resolution argues that authorising the GM beet would violate the precautionary principle (Article 191 EU Treaty) and the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, which demand no adverse effects on health or the environment.
  • Allowing imports of the GM beet would give competitors an unfair advantage over EU farmers.
  • Parliament notes that the Commission is authorising GMOs without the qualified majority support of Member States’ Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed or the Appeal Committee, creating a democratic deficit.
• Key demands of the resolution:
  1. Withdraw the Commission implementing decision for KWS20‑1.
  2. Do not authorize the GM beet until robust evidence on long‑term safety, environmental impact and farmer livelihood is available.
  3. Reform the GMO decision‑making process to address Parliament’s objections and ensure qualified majority approval.
  4. Inform the Council, the Commission, and Member State governments and parliaments of this resolution.

The resolution is a clear statement that the EU should not allow the sale of the genetically modified sugar beet KWS20‑1 until more comprehensive safety, environmental and socio‑economic data are provided.