EU lawmakers vote to ban glyphosate weed killer by 2022

European Parliament approved a resolution that calls for banning

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robert99 Sweden • Posts: 1360

1 25 Oct 2017

http://www.dw.com/en/eu-lawmakers-vote-to-ban-glyphosate-weed-killer-by-2022/a-41093018

EU lawmakers vote to ban glyphosate weed killer by 2022

The European Parliament has called for glyphosate to be banned by 2022 amid fears the weed killer causes cancer. The move puts pressure on the EU Commission which recommended its license should be renewed for 10 years.

As time is running out to renew the EU's license for glyphosate, lawmakers in the European Parliament approved a resolution on Tuesday that calls for the herbicide to be banned in the bloc altogether.

A majority of MEPs backed the proposal which recommends a "phase out" of the substance, first banning household use and then agricultural use.

By December 2022, glyphosate-based herbicides should be fully banned, lawmakers said in a statement.

On Monday, activists who oppose glyphosate use gave the EU a petition signed by over 1.3 million people backing an outright ban of the herbicide in Europe. Greenpeace and other activists say that the weed killer causes cancer.

In its statement, the European Parliament also noted that the recent scandal over claims that US agricultural giant Monsanto influenced research into its herbicide's safety has raised serious concerns. Glyphosate is the main ingredient in Monsanto's RoundUp weed killer.

The revelations "shed doubt on the credibility of some studies used in the EU evaluation on glyphosate safety," the statement said.

Experts from the EU's 28 member states are due to discuss the Commission's recommendation on Wednesday, but it is unclear whether they will vote on the measure or where each of the individual member states land on glyphosate use.

If there is no majority for the license renewal by the end of the year, glyphosate will be banned in the EU in 2018.

jennie Australia • Posts: 4

2 25 Oct 2017

thanks for your article
animeyt http://www.animeyt.me/

robert99 Sweden • Posts: 1360

3 7 Nov 2017

The Commission has scheduled a new glyphosate vote for this Thursday.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/06/the-eu-and-glyphosate-its-time-to-put-childrens-health-before-pesticides

Last month it was revealed that in recommending that glyphosate – the world’s most widely-used pesticide – was safe, the EU’s food safety watchdog copied and pasted pages of a report directly from Monsanto, the pesticide’s manufacturer. Revelations like these are simply shocking. (see https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/15/eu-report-on-weedkiller-safety-copied-text-from-monsanto-study )

Two weeks ago, some European countries blocked the attempt to give glyphosate a new 10-year licence. This decision is about much more than one pesticide. It’s a welcome sign that EU member states might be more vigilant in performing their duty to protect against corporate abuses of our human rights from exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides.

robert99 Sweden • Posts: 1360

4 10 Nov 2017

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41928007

An EU vote has failed to resolve a controversy over the use of glyphosate, the world's biggest-selling weedkiller.

One UN study called the chemical "probably carcinogenic", but other scientists said it was safe to use.

The current glyphosate licence runs out in the EU on 15 December. Only half of the 28 member states backed a European Commission proposal to renew the licence for five years.

An EU appeal committee will now try to rule on the issue.

The UK was among the 14 states backing the Commission position on glyphosate. Nine voted against - including France and Italy. Germany was among the five who abstained.