The European Commission proposed this Wednesday to the Member States to renew the authorization of glyphosate in the EU for ten years, after a report from a regulator estimated that the level of risk did not justify the ban of this controversial herbicide, according to a text published in Internet.
The European executive’s proposal will be examined on Friday by the representatives of the 27 member states, who will then have to validate it by a qualified majority during a vote on October 13. The current authorization of glyphosate in the EU, renewed in 2017 for five years, expired on December 15, 2022, but was extended for one year pending a scientific evaluation.
In early July, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its report indicating that it had not identified “critical areas of concern” in humans, animals and the environment that could prevent the herbicide from being authorized. The Commission proposes to authorize glyphosate until December 15, 2033, that is, for a period twice as long as the previous authorization, but less than the 15-year period initially planned. However, the green light may be reviewed at any time if new evaluations justify it.
Railings
Brussels establishes some safeguards: the conditions of use must be accompanied by “risk mitigation measures” around the sprayed areas, through “protection strips” of five to ten meters and equipment that drastically reduces “spray drifts” . Limit levels have been established for certain “impurities” of glyphosate, and its use for desiccation (spreading to dry a crop before harvest) is now prohibited.
Glyphosate, the active substance in several herbicides – including the famous Monsanto Roundup, widely used around the world – was classified in 2015 as a “probable carcinogen” for humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Organization. health. On the contrary, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) ruled last year that the available scientific evidence did not allow it to be classified as a carcinogen.
For its part, EFSA limited itself to confirming in July “a high long-term risk in mammals” for half of the proposed uses of glyphosate, but recognized that the lack of data prevented any definitive analysis. To take this into account, the Commission relies heavily on the States, responsible for granting authorizations at national level and setting conditions of use, to “pay particular attention” to the effects on the environment.
“Irresponsible”
States will need to examine “coformulants” (other components present in authorized herbicides), assess consumer exposure to “residues” potentially present in successive crops grown in rotation, and ensure the protection of groundwater or surface water. particularly that used for the collection of drinking water.
Likewise, States will have to “pay attention” to the impact on small mammals, considering “if necessary” mitigation measures or restrictions. If they identify possible indirect effects on biodiversity, they will have to examine whether other methods of crop protection are possible and may adopt restrictions in these cases as well.
Recommendations considered very insufficient by MEPs: Pascal Canfin, president (Renewal, Liberals) of the parliamentary committee on the Environment, regrets the absence of “serious restrictions on use” and denounces an “unacceptable proposal”, “not in accordance with the conclusions of EFSA which highlights many gray areas. “By destroying biodiversity, glyphosate endangers our long-term food security. This proposal is irresponsible,” added Greens elected official Benoît Biteau. “Industrial interests clearly take priority over health and the environment,” said the environmental organization PAN Europe.
This proposal comes as negotiations between Member States and in the European Parliament are deadlocked over an ambitious bill imposing binding pesticide reduction targets in the EU, within the framework of the Green Deal. If the authorization of glyphosate as an active substance is renewed at the EU level, it will be up to each State to authorize the products that contain it, regulating its use “when justified” depending on the crops and the climatic conditions and local specificities, specifies a European body. official.
“In extreme cases, States can theoretically ban all products containing glyphosate,” but they must have solid justifications for this “within the framework of the conditions” mentioned in the text, he adds. Luxembourg had banned the marketing of glyphosate at the end of 2020 before the courts forced it in 2023 to lift this ban.
Source: BFM TV
