Brussels, 15/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - Following the MEPs vote on glyphosate, the EU organisations representing EU agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) called on the EU Standing Committee on Plants, animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) to renew its authorization for a further 15 years.
On 13 April, the European Parliament called for the renewed authorisation of glyphosate on the EU market to be limited to 7 years instead of 15 (as proposed by the European Commission) and only for professional use (see EUROPE 11531).
Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen pointed out that the EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had confirmed this product's safety and said that they welcomed "the fact that with their vote today MEPs acknowledge the need for farmers and agri cooperatives to remain competitive in the EU at the same time as ensuring consumer safety".
Glyphosate is widely used in herbicides in all EU Member States and an important part of farmers' tool box due to its availability and cost-effective price. It is widely used in cereal crops as well as vineyards, fruit and olive production. Mr Pesonen explained that "Without it, production would be jeopardized. This would be disastrous for the EU given the current agricultural crisis". He went on to say that glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world and concluded that “Not approving this active substance would therefore just be to the advantage of non-EU countries that export to the EU, as it would still be part of farmers tool box in these countries".
MEPs therefore did not follow the recommendation from their environment committee, which wanted a simple blanket ban on this herbicide, after it had been described by the International Cancer Research Centre as probably being carcinogenic.
This vote by MEPs does not have hold any binding legal weight, however, because it will be up to the member states whether or not to vote for this herbicide to be renewed. It will, nevertheless facilitate the work of the Commission, which is seeking to provide its go-ahead for the end of June, the date when the current authorisation expires. If there is no qualified majority from the member states, the European Commission decided at the beginning of last March to postpone the vote on renewing the authorisation of glyphosate in the EU. The next vote should take place on 18-19 May. The Commission may introduce a number of amendments to its initial proposal, particularly by reducing the length of time for the authorisation (to 10 years) and ban the use of certain co-formulates, as France had requested it to do and subsequently introduce restrictions (limitations to professional use) as called for by MEPs. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)