On Wednesday 16 January in Strasbourg, the European Parliament contributed to a future reform of the pesticide authorisation procedure in the European Union to make it more transparent, independent and accountable in the use of science, to better protect public health and the environment and thus restore public confidence.
By a very large majority (526 votes in favour, 66 against, 72 abstentions), it endorsed the recommendations made by its Special PEST Committee (see EUROPE 12155). This body, chaired by Frenchman Eric Andrieu (S&D), was responsible, in 9 months, for examining the European pesticide authorisation procedure, in the wake of the controversial renewal of the glyphosate licence at the end of 2017, for five years and without an exit plan.
Immediately applicable, the recommendations addressed to the European Commission, the Member States and the European EFSA Agency were adopted almost without amendments as the text was the result of considerable compromise work between the co-rapporteurs, Norbert Lins (EPP, Germany) and Bart Staes (Greens/EFA, Belgium), and all political groups – except the ECR Group.
“The compromise held until the end. We are working to prepare the future for the marketing authorisation procedure for molecules”, said Eric Andrieu.
“We will be sufficiently equipped to push the European Commission in the right direction”, said Bart Staes. Norbert Lins, on the other hand, was pleased that the text advocates “an evolution, not a revolution in the procedure which is already the safest in the world”.
The Parliament recommends in particular: - a public register of all studies and raw data in a usable format; - public access to all scientific studies before EFSA carries out the evaluation, taking into account the commercial interests of companies; - greater financial resources for EFSA; - the designation by the Commission of the rapporteur Member State to evaluate an active substance; - the inclusion of long-term toxicity in the data required for the risk assessment of plant protection products; - the strengthening of post-market assessment; - the launch by the Commission of an epidemiological study on the impact of pesticides on human health.
On Wednesday in plenary, an amendment by Mireille D’Ornano (EFDD, France) calling for specific measures to protect vulnerable groups was voted on, so that the application of pesticides near certain public places (housing, schools, nurseries, maternity wards, playgrounds) could be stopped quickly and without possible derogation.
Eric Andrieu’s amendment recommending the creation of an independent committee, composed of judges and senior officials to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest at EFSA, was also adopted.
On the other hand, all the amendments tabled by the ECR group in a direction more favourable to industry were rejected (see EUROPE 12170). During the debate preceding the vote, Anthea McIntyre (ECR, UK), who initiated these amendments, deplored “a discussion used as a campaign platform for the elections”.
The amendments of the GUE/NGL Group, which called in particular for an immediate ban on glyphosate and all neonicotinoids, were also rejected. The Greens/ALE Group, which supported these amendments, agreed to abstain in return for the assurance that the EPP would not support the ECR Group.
Before the press, Eric Andrieu reminded the audience that banning glyphosate and all neonicotinoids was not the mission of the PEST Special Commission.
“We are not union representatives or judges. Our mandate was to make suggestions for improvement. We are here to prepare a law that protects health and the environment for the future. Justice does its job”, he said. According to him, this is reflected in the decision of the Administrative Court of Lyon which, the day before, had annulled the marketing authorisation for Round-up Pro 360 in France (see EUROPE 12172).
“Transparency and independence: that’s what we demand. We want full transparency on the studies used for pesticide evaluation. It is high time to stop using consumers as guinea pigs”, summarised Marc Tarabella (S&D, Belgium).
The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, has assured that the final recommendations will be taken into account in the evaluation of the 2009 Regulation on the marketing authorisation of plant protection products, currently subject to the Better Regulation exercise (REFIT). “I will present the results to you in the first half of the year,” he promised.
Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Belgium) asked when the European Commission intended to apply the law and publish the first list of banned co-formulants, knowing that co-formulants are at the heart of the glyphosate dispute between the International Agency for Research on Cancer and European agencies, and that the addition of these adjuvants is at the heart of product toxicity. A discussion with Member States “on unacceptable co-formulants, including those already identified by Member States” took place in December and is ongoing, Mr Andriukaitis said. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)