The highly controversial herbicide glyphosate could be a step closer to approval in the EU on Thursday. In May 2022, the reapproval process stalled.
One reason for this was that the required risk assessment by an independent body was delayed. So far, this has only come from the EU Chemicals Agency (ECHA), while that from the Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has been postponed until 2023.
The reason for this, according to EFSA, was the enormous amount of data that still had to be checked. Now the result must be presented – the condition for the re-inspection of the weed killer, which is then valid for 15 years.
WHO: glyphosate ‘probably carcinogenic’
Glyphosate has been controversial at least since the WHO cancer research agency IARC classified the weed killer in 2015 – contrary to other authorities – as “probably carcinogenic” to humans. Since then, NGOs such as Global 2000 have advocated for a ban on glyphosate, followed by billion-dollar lawsuits in the US.
However, manufacturer Bayer contradicts this assessment and emphasizes that the products are harmless when used according to the instructions. The drug has been used under the trade name Roundup since 1974, including in Austria, where a partial ban was imposed in 2021.
The previous approval of glyphosate was actually limited to December 16, 2022, but after ECHA delivered only in May of the same year, the EU Commission decided on a limited approval until December 15, 2023. an approval procedure within three years gives the impression of incompetence criticized Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, the environmental chemist at the NGO Global 2000.
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Because at the beginning of December 2019, producer Bayer, together with the association of other plant protection product manufacturers Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG), submitted an application for re-inspection in good time.
According to the GRG, a draft Renewal Assessment Report (dRAR) was published in June 2022 by designated Member States France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden, assessing glyphosate as meeting the approval criteria. It is neither carcinogenic nor mutagenic and poses no acute or chronic health risk to consumers.
The EFSA assessment now paves the way for the next steps, so the EU Commission will make a proposal to EU members during the second half of the year, but no later than six months after the EFSA classification – it will then apply until the end of the year finding a majority for or against in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) – ideally the final decision to re-authorize should be made before the temporary extension expires on December 15, 2023.
A partial ban has been in place in Austria since 2021
In Austria, the National Council unanimously decided in spring 2021 to partially ban glyphosate. It should no longer be used in sensitive locations such as children’s playgrounds, parks, aged care facilities or health facilities. Home and small gardens and private use are also affected. However, it is still allowed in agriculture, where it is by far the most widely used.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
