A proposal from the European Commission to extend the expiring authorisation of glyphosate by one year was blocked by EU member states today (Tuesday, November 15).
Glyphosate currently has active substance approval in the EU, however it is due to expire in a month, on December 15. The commission moved to push this date out by a year due to delays in the peer review phase of the renewal assessment process.
However, an appeal committee convened today and while many member states backed the proposal, several opposed it, including Luxembourg, Malta and Croatia. In addition, France, Germany and Slovenia abstained, ultimately blocking the approval.
The Pesticide Action Network (PAN) of Europe has welcomed the development and has called on the commission to propose an immediate ban on the herbicide.
Gergely Simon, chemical officer with PAN Europe, said that today’s vote was a “strong signal towards the commission that we need to phase out glyphosate once and for all”.
“The commission should now listen to EU citizens who demanded in two successful European Citizens Initiatives the end of glyphosate and harmful pesticides, and propose a ban,” he said.
Four members states were appointed by the commission in May 2019 to form the Assessment Group on Glyphosate (AGG) which would oversee the renewal assessment process for the herbicide.
Shortly after this appointment, the Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG) sent an application to the AGG for the renewal of the substance post-2022, a move that formally initiated the renewal process.
In a statement today, the GRG said it believes the extension to the approved period will be granted.
“The GRG is confident that the current glyphosate approval will ultimately be extended, as proposed by the commission, to allow sufficient time for the European Food Safety Authority to conclude the ongoing scientific evaluation.
“Every other plant protection active substance that has needed this type of temporary administrative extension in the EU has been granted the extension,” it concluded.