The decision to renew authorisation of the glyphosate licence for a period of five years in the EU, with no plans for prohibition, was formally adopted on Tuesday 12 December, the day on which the European Commission chose to announce that, in spring 2018, it will propose measures to improve the transparency of studies that form the basis of the risk assessment process of chemicals.
This was the Commission’s response to the European citizens’ initiative (ECI) “Stop Glyphosate”, which garnered 1.3 million signatures but was unable to have glyphosate banned in the EU. The ECI also called on the EU to protect its people and the environment against pesticides.
Announcing the adoption of this severely criticised formal decision, Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis repeated the arguments he has so often advanced: - it supposes that the active substance glyphosate is harmless “if it is used correctly in farming”, the converging opinions delivered by the European agencies (EFSA and ECHA), and others. He also pointed to the support given by a qualified majority of member states.
The communication adopted by the College of Commissioners in Strasbourg announces a legislative proposal to enhance the transparency, quality and independence of scientific assessments of substances, such as public access to raw data.
In January 2018, a report will be published on the Fitness Check of General Food Law which will take stock of the legislation in place. A public consultation will also be launched to feed into the preparation of the proposal to be presented by spring 2018.
The Commission also announces future amendments to European legislation to strengthen the governance of the conduct of relevant studies, which could include, for example, the involvement of public authorities in the process of deciding which studies need to be conducted for specific cases.
The commissioner said he would ensure that scientific studies were made available to the public. Greater powers would, he said, be given to EFSA. He stated that the ECI called for targets for reducing the use of pesticides as a way of moving to a pesticide-free future. “The member states must set realistic targets. They do not go far enough”, he said. This point has already been made by the Commission in a report, published in October, on implementation of the European directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. The Commission will ensure follow-up with the member states.
A first step. This is “a first step”, according to S&D MEPs Eric Andrieu and Marc Tarabella who, in a joint press release, say they are now waiting for these promises to be turned into action. “We expect the European Commission to turn these statements into concrete measures next spring in order to ensure real independence for our agencies are genuine transparency in the authorisation procedure”.
As expected, the two S&D MEPs, along with Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA, France), Piernicola Pedicini (EFDD, Italy) and Anja Hazekamp (GUE/NGL, Netherlands) have called on Parliament’s legal committee to bring annulment proceedings against the authorisation decision, challenging its legality (see EUROPE 11921). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)