About: glyphosate ban Archives

The Standing Committee on Plant Animal Food and Feed met today (9 November) to discuss renewing the approval of the active substance glyphosate, which is produced by Monsanto and others, but no qualified majority among member states was reached again.

EU farmers’ union Copa-Cogeca has rejected the Commission’s revised proposal for a five year re-authorisation of glyphosate, claiming that such a proposal would “undermine” credibility in the EU institutions. Instead, they suggest a full 15-year re-approval.

The leader of Britain's farming union, Meurig Raymond, hopes that the agriculture-related decisions made in London after his country leaves the EU will be more science-based and less emotional than is currently the case in Europe.

The EU member states led by the UK, which are in favor of glyphosate’s re-authorisation for at least ten years, refused at a meeting today (25) to support the renewal of the substance for a less period of time, EURACTIV has learnt.

It will be really difficult but not impossible to find an alternative to the controversial glyphosate weedkiller by the end of 2022, French MEP Angélique Delahaye told EURACTIV in Strasbourg after European Parliament approved a five-year phase-out.

Activists handed the EU a petition signed by more than 1.3 million people on Monday (23 October) calling for a European ban on the weedkiller glyphosate, produced by chemicals giant Monsanto and others, over fears it causes cancer.

The Italian government insists that the re-authorisation of glyphosate, the world's most commonly used weedkiller, be rejected. However, sources told EURACTIV.com that Rome is exploring the scenario of a five-year extension for an adjustment period.

European farmers are raising the pressure on the European Commission and the member states to extend the licence of weed-killer glyphosate as there is no alternative on the market and a ban could increase overhead costs, they claim.

The European Parliament’s environment and agriculture committees are holding on Wednesday (11 October) a highly anticipated public hearing on the so-called “Monsanto papers" and glyphosate, which is expected to further heat up the debate on the controversial chemical substance.

Lawyers on the “Monsanto papers” case accused the EU agencies responsible for food safety and chemicals of “wilfully sawing off certain studies” in their risk assessment of glyphosate.

The member states should stop hiding behind or even pointing the figure at the European Commission regarding the re-authorisation of the world’s most commonly used weedkiller, glyphosate, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis told EURACTIV.com.

For glyphosate, the active ingredient in the world’s most widely used weed killer, 6 November will be a date with destiny, writes Pieter Cleppe.

French farmers are at higher risk of suicide than the rest of the population, a new study has found, describing falling incomes and increasing environmental regulation as risk factors.

As member states are due to vote on two key dossiers, maize farmers claim that EU regulation restricting access to plant protection products and plant genetics has reduced their competitiveness worldwide and that such regulation is not based on science.

The European Commission is exploring ways to bridge the gap between different member state requests regarding the re-authorisation of the world's most commonly used weedkiller, glyphosate, an EU spokesperson told EURACTIV.

French farmers have been protesting France's proposed ban on glyphosate, Europe's number one pesticide. Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot tried to engage in dialogue with them to achieve a "shared solution". EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.