The European Union (EU) would be renewing its approval of the herbicide glyphosate for 10 years although member states did not reach a majority agreement over the chemical, Reuters reported on 16 November.
Although found to be probably carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency in 2015, other agencies around the world - including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EU agencies - had classified glyphosate as non-carcinogenic, Reuters wrote.
On 16 November, the European Commission (EC) said it would renew glyphosate’s approval based on European Food Agency and European Chemicals Agency safety assessments and subject to new conditions and restrictions, such as maximum application rates.
Welcoming the EU’s decision, German chemical firm Bayer – which produces the glyphosate-based Roundup weedkiller brand – was quoted as saying in a statement: “This reauthorisation allows us to continue to provide important integrated weed management technology to farmers across the European Union.”
However, environmental groups – including Greenpeace – had condemned the announcement, Reuters wrote.
Bayer, which acquired Roundup through its US$63bn acquisition of US agrochemicals company Monsanto in 2018, faces thousands of cancer lawsuits in the USA.
Glyphosate has been widely used for decades by farmers and in other applications such as clearing weeds from railways lines.
The EC had proposed extending its authorisation – which was due to expire on 15 December – by 10 years and sought approval from the EU’s 27 member countries.
A “qualified majority” had been required either to support or block the proposal but as the latest vote had not cleared this hurdle, the EC had to take a decision under EU rules, Reuters wrote.
France was among a number of countries to abstain and French pro-environmental farming group Confederation Paysanne condemned the EU’s decision and the approval process, the report said.
Greenpeace was quoted as saying the decision was contrary to numerous opinions of scientists on glyphosate’s probable negative effects on human health and the environment.
Agriculture without glyphosate was possible, the organisation said, and public policies should help farmers to phase it out.
According to farming group Copa and Cogeca, there was no equivalent alternative.
Individual EU countries would remain responsible for authorising plant protection products containing glyphosate, the report said.
