Renew EU market approval for glyphosate, but only for 7 years: MEPs

The EU Parliament voted today on the objection to the EU Commission's draft to renew the substance for another 15 years. The vote was in favor but the original ENVI Committee resolution text was significantly amended to allow for a shorter term EU license for glyphosate of seven years.

And the MEPS said the herbicide should not be allowed for use in or close to public parks, public playgrounds and public gardens.

Environmental campaigners had argued that glyphosate should be banned on the grounds that it could be linked to cancer.

In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans”,​ a classification that biotech giant and producer of the glyphosate based herbicide, RoundUp, Monsanto, said it strongly disagreed with.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ruled to the contrary of IARC in November last year, finding that the substance was “unlikely”​ to be carcinogenic.

The Parliament today called for an independent review and full disclosure of all the scientific evidence EFSA used in that risk assessment.

The politicians also urged the Commission to better address the sustainable use of herbicides containing glyphosate and to launch an independent review of the overall toxicity and classification of glyphosate, including data on carcinogenicity but also on any endocrine-disruptive properties.

Angeliki Lyssimachou, campaigner with Europe's Pesticides Action Network (PAN), said it was glad to see the EU Parliament recognizes that the endocrine disruption potential of glyphosate has not been assessed properly. "But this should have been a reason to block its re-authorisation process,"​ she said.

Farmer lobby reaction 

The last-minute amendments to the Parliament resolution had been lobbied for by parties such as the UK’s national farmers union (NFU).

Its president, Meurig Raymond, welcomed the result: “It’s fundamental that the agricultural sector is able to use glyphosate responsibly in order to produce healthy products.....reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and continue to farm sustainably.”​

EU farm lobby, Copa and Cogeca, said the MEPs had acknowledged the need for farmers and agri cooperatives to remain competitive in the EU “at the same time as ensuring consumer safety.”​

And the trade group said it was imperative that the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) now approved the herbicide.

Its secretary general, Pekka Pesonen, said: “EFSA has confirmed its safety and we expect the EU Commission to prolong the authorization for a further 15 years.”​

National experts in SCoPAFF are due to meet in May to vote to adopt or reject the Commission glyphosate authorization proposal – a qualified majority is needed either way. If there is no such majority, it will be up to the Commission to decide on the licensing of the herbicide.

EU Health Commissioner weighs in 

Last week the Health Commissioner, Vytenis Andriukaitis, weighed in on the debate on the safety review of glyphosate. He wrote to the Glyphosate Task Force​​ (GTF) - a consortium of companies backing the continued use of the herbicide in the EU – asking them to publish the full studies they provided to EFSA.

He said he did so in reaction to what he called the “extraordinary degree of public attention and concerns”​ about the transparency of the European glyphosate assessment process, highlighting the confusion over the different conclusions arrived at by EFSA and IARC in his lettre.

“This is a particularly sensitive and complex case and there is consequently a strong public request for full transparency on the studies used by EFSA for the assessment of the carcinogenicity of the substance,”​ noted the Commissioner.

The GTF, in response​​, proposed providing access through a “physical reading room (or rooms) and on an exceptional basis to copies of all 14 carcinogenicity studies”​ submitted by the GTF to EFSA.

The Twitterati were out in force following the EU vote - we bring you a sample of the reaction.

Success! #glyphosate is significantly restricted following EU Parliament advisory vote today #NotInMyBread

— Soil Association (@SoilAssociation) April 13, 2016

We hope Member States & #EC hear clear message from MEPs (representatives of #EU citizens) that #glyphosate should be re-approved

— ECPA (@cropprotection) April 13, 2016

EU Parliament’s Call for Partial Restrictions of Glyphosate is not Enough!https://t.co/RQafUlrtmEpic.twitter.com/PEwhXJm8vm

— Slow Food (@SlowFoodHQ) April 13, 2016

I, @MollyMEP, & @GreenJeanMEP are taking the #MEPee to make a serious point abt #glyphosatehttps://t.co/75DT6Ee5hIpic.twitter.com/GK1MnSomlS

— Keith Taylor MEP (@GreenKeithMEP) April 13, 2016