8 June 2021 

The Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG) acknowledges the fundamental role biodiversity plays in the functioning and equilibrium of ecosystems and thus supports the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives, aiming to protect nature, reverse ecosystems degradation, and put Europe’s biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030.

However, the GRG expresses its deep disappointment from the European Parliament’s adoption of the Own Initiative Report (INI) on the Biodiversity Strategy on 8 June 2021, including a specific clause calling to oppose the reauthorisation of glyphosate following the expiration of the current authorisation on 31 December 2022. At the end of every regulatory process the European Parliament has the opportunity to scrutinise any decision relating to a substance.

With today’s vote, the European Parliament is undermining the independence of the current scientific-based authorization process for plant protection products. Furthermore, given the ongoing evaluation, the clause in question undermines the rigorous process carried out by the Member States’ regulatory authorities and the European Food Safety Authority and calls for a decision that is not based on scientific evidence or the designated authorities’ findings.

The GRG strongly believes that the Biodiversity Strategy should establish a broad framework and direction and, as such, it is not the appropriate platform to single out individual substances or oppose their reauthorisation.

In particular, in the case of glyphosate, the active substance is currently undergoing a risk assessment process in full compliance with the EU Regulation 1107/2009, as prescribed by EU law.

In the EU, glyphosate-based products have provided efficient, safe and cost-effective weed control for more than 40 years. The GRG remains committed to protecting and enhancing biodiversity by providing safe crop protection products like glyphosate that support integrated weed management approaches, promoting good agricultural practices such as crop rotation and diversification as well as reduced tillage systems.