Press note: EU government representatives to discuss glyphosate renewal 12-13 October

On 12-13 October 2023, EU member states’ representatives convening in the European Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) are expected to discuss and potentially vote on the Commission’s proposal to renew glyphosate’s market license for a period of 10 years.

“Beyond concerns about carcinogenicity, the growing pile of evidence on the irreversible health harm associated with glyphosate exposure should lead every responsible decision-maker to ban this hazardous pesticide without delay. The European Commission’s 10-year renewal proposal is incomprehensible, given the data gaps in the industry dossier.”, Natacha Cingotti, HEAL’s Health and Chemicals Programme Lead, said in reaction to the publication of the Commission’s renewal proposal.

Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide active substance in the world. Independent science points to concerning health effects, which were central in the debates preceding the 2018 renewal of the pesticide and which resulted in a shorter reauthorisation than originally proposed: five years instead of fifteen.

In a letter sent on 9th of October, HEAL together with eight environmental health groups across Europe call on national agriculture, environment and health ministers in Europe to urge their governments to support the non-renewal of glyphosate due to health and environment concerns. 

In a separate letter, HEAL furthermore urges the member states’ representatives attending the SCoPAFF meeting to support the European Commission’s proposal for non-renewal of five endocrine disrupting pesticides: asulam sodium, benthiavalicarb, clofentezine, metiram, and triflusulfuron-methyl.

See the SCoPAFF Agenda for 12-13th October here. 

Contact: Nea Pakarinen, Senior Communications and Media Officer, nea@env-health.org