Member states reached no opinion in the vote on the European Commission’s proposal to renew the approval of glyphosate
On 13 October, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF), comprised of representatives of the EU Member States, did not reach an opinion on the European Commission’s proposal to renew the approval of glyphosate in the EU for another ten years.
Although the majority of Member States voted in favour of the Commission’s proposal, no qualified majority could be reached. We anticipate that the draft proposal will now be referred to an Appeal Committee.
The Glyphosate Renewal Group remains confident that the renewal of the approval of glyphosate will ultimately be granted, as the proposal builds on the strong science-based conclusions of the competent authorities including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), that did not find any critical area of concern.
EFSA’s conclusions are consistent with the assessments of leading health regulatory bodies around the world from nearly 50 years of science.
Furthermore, the European Commission’s proposal is taken after a lengthy process, following the EU system for regulating pesticide active substances, one of the most stringent in the world.
The re-approval of glyphosate would allow farmers to keep glyphosate-based products in their toolbox as part of their integrated weed management practices, enabling them to control weeds effectively and contributing to a more secure European food supply.
For any inquiries, please contact the grg@glyphosate.eu