EU Member States have failed to reach a qualified majority in order to renew authorization to market the controversial herbicide glisosate, the best-selling herbicide in the world. The disagreement has been expressed in the standing committee on plants, animals, food and feed of the European Commission this Friday
The abstentions of Germany, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Malta, together with the no’s of Austria, Croatia and Luxembourg, have prevented the proposal from going forward.
Spain, as this newspaper reported, has positioned itself in favor of the extension.
The Commission maintains a proposal to renew the use of glyphosate for 10 years, but at this meeting “the necessary majority was not reached”, either to adopt or reject the proposal, the European Commission reported in a statement.
As a result, the Commission’s proposal will be presented to the appeal committee.
“The Committee is expected to debate and vote on the Commission’s proposal in the first half of November,” the statement added. The decision on the renewal of glyphosate must be taken before December 14, 2023, as the current approval expires on December 15, 2023.
Member States will now be invited to vote again on the Commission’s proposal in a debate that will take place in the appeal committee.
Everything indicates that the new negotiation will seek an agreement that satisfies all parties. If a qualified majority is not reached again, it will be up to the Commission to decide alone.
The PAN Europe organization has welcomed this disagreement
Gergely Simon, senior policy officer at PAN Europe, said: “This is an important signal. It responds to the concerns of the majority of Europeans about the impact of pesticides on health and the environment. “A wide range of independent scientists have expressed their concerns and their studies show serious negative effects from the use of glyphosate.”
For environmental organizations, the new authorization of glyphosate violates the EU Pesticides Law, according to which health and the environment must come first. “When in doubt, the precautionary principle should be invoked,” says Gergely Simon.
“Unfortunately, Spain, led by the Ministry of Agriculture in the hands of the PSOE, has voted for the renewal of this harmful herbicide,” lamented the organization Verdes Equo. “We once again ask Minister Luis Planas to adhere to the precautionary principle and commit to the health of farmers and consumers,” says this organization integrated into Sumar. “Together with the European Greens, we will continue working to stop this toxic proposal and promoting greener and healthier alternatives.”
A recent IPSOS survey covering six EU countries shows that only a mere 14% of citizens express support for the long-term use of glyphosate. In stark contrast, almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents advocate a ban on glyphosate.
