Member States fail to ban glyphosate - Greens/EFA urge Commission to act

Today, Member States missed their last chance to ban the use of glyphosate for the next decade. During the vote in the appeals committee they were unable to reach the votes needed to come to a decision on the Commission proposal to renew the use of glyphosates for another 10 years. This means the Commission will now take a decision on the renewal of the use of glyphosate in the near future. The Greens/EFA urge the Commission to take into account the overwhelming scientific proof of the dangers of using glyphosates both for peoples healths and for nature and to ban the use of glyphosates.

Tilly Metz MEP, Greens/EFA Member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, comments:

“EU Member States failed yet again to reach the qualified majority needed to take a decision on the proposed renewal of use of glyphosates. There is clearly not enough support among the Member States for the Commission proposal for a ten year prolongation. The use of glyphosate is not safe.

“Just last week a report was published showing a clear link between leukemia and glyphosate. In recent months and years we’ve seen more and more reports confirming the dangers with glyphosate and the Commission must take this into account when deciding on the future for the use of these dangerous herbicides. Just yesterday, MEPs sent a letter to President Ursula von der Leyen to this fact. The Greens/EFA Group calls on the Commission to use common sense, finally apply the precautionary principle, listen to science and ban the use of glyphosate completely.”

Bas Eickhout MEP, Greens/EFA Vice Chair of the Environment Committee, comments:

“Six years ago, the EU renewed the use of glyphosate for five years with the condition that it would be phased out during this period. Last year it was granted a temporary one year extension. The risk assessment of EFSA shows that there are major gaps in the available data when it comes to the impact on people and animals, and that there are clear risks associated with different forms of use. That the Commission may now force through for another ten year renewal shows that it’s not only ignoring the precautionary principle, but also the rightful concerns of many European citizens. We should not gamble with our biodiversity and public health like this.”

More:

The vote in the appeals committee today comes after a failed vote only one month ago in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCOPAFF). The Commission is now able to take a unilateral decision on the proposal and is expected to authorise the use of glyphosates for an additional 10 years. This decision is expected to come in the near future. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in broad-spectrum herbicides like Roundup, produced by Bayer-Monsanto; it is a pesticide not only used in farming, but also in urban areas.

Greens/EFA initiated letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Read the Greens/EFA Group study on glyphosates impact on water

Read the Greens/EFA Group study on alternatives used to glyphosates