Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to everyone's health across the EU, and one of the leading risk factors for chronic diseases. Today, pathways to reach clean air in cities by 2030 will be discussed by more than 340 participants from 33 countries at an international conference taking place in Brussels.
Brussels, 8 February 2017 – Health and environment groups met in Brussels and other European cities (Madrid, Rome, Berlin and Paris) today to launch a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to ban glyphosate.
Glyphosate – the most widely used weedkiller in Europe – is also known as Roundup, a Monsanto brand-name. In 2015, the World Health Organization’s specialised cancer agency categorized glyphosate as a probable carcinogen. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently working on a safety assessment.
A European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) demands that the European Commission propose legislation on matters for which the EU has competencies. In the coming months, HEAL and other campaigners across Europe will aim to collect at least one million signatures from Europeans and submit the petition before the Commission’s next move to renew, withdraw or extend the EU licence of glyphosate.
We call on the European Commission to propose to Member States a ban on glyphosate, to reform the pesticide approval procedure, and to set EU-wide mandatory reduction targets for pesticide use. Protect our health, sign our petition today!
Our joint press release can be read online here.
A presentation by Génon K. Jensen, Executive Director, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) on the health impacts of glyphosate can be found online here.
The official campaign website of the European Citizens’ Initiative to Stop Glyphosate can be found online here.
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