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The Netherlands will not vote on the extension of glyphosate
Agriculture Minister Piet Adema abstains from a vote on the extension of glyphosate. The House previously urged to vote against extending the herbicide, but the minister does not agree. This is evident from a letter to Parliament that was sent today, Tuesday, October 10.
In Letter to Parliament Adema says it attaches great importance to independent scientific advice, as provided by EFSA. After reviewing 2.400 studies, the European food watchdog has concluded that there are no critical concerns surrounding glyphosate. That is why it was stated earlier this year that registration could be renewed for a period of ten years. That is the maximum term.
Battle of the arm
The minister is keeping a close eye on things. In the letter he writes: "I want explicit confirmation from the European Commission that the approval will be withdrawn if any scientific research shows that there are scientific grounds showing that glyphosate is not safe and there are direct risks for humans, animals and the environment. .
The small parliamentary majority that voted in favor of a ban on glyphosate at the beginning of September sees Adema as the voice of the Netherlands from the parliament. The minister's own findings are that both Efsa and the Dutch Ctgb provide scientific substantiation that deems the drug safe. The chemical and mechanical alternatives are also not always available or no better than the use of glyphosate in agriculture and beyond (along the railways and at airports).
Nuanced Dutch position
According to Adema, a vote for or against does not do justice to the nuanced Dutch position that recognizes both the concerns surrounding glyphosate and the scientific substantiation. On behalf of the Netherlands, the minister is therefore abstaining from a vote in the European Commission. However, he does ask the Commission for an assessment framework that looks at the link with Parkinson's disease and the loss of biodiversity due to glyphosate. In the meantime, the minister is also asking the RIVM to conduct research into this in the Netherlands. If the drug proves to be unsafe, a ban will apply immediately.
What does it mean for re-registration?
On Friday, October 13, the European member states will vote on the re-registration of glyphosate. Withholding the Dutch vote probably has little impact on the final outcome, although a vote from a small nation like the Netherlands can also have consequences. As before proclaim the votes of France and Germany carry the most weight. If they vote against – and that is a very likely possibility – then the curtain will inevitably fall on glyphosate. With or without the Netherlands.
If glyphosate is re-registered, which is required before mid-December 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture will also continue to focus on reducing the herbicide. The European proposal has already deleted the pre-harvest application (spraying crops to death before harvesting). In the Netherlands, there has been an adopted parliamentary proposal to ban the spraying of grassland and green manures as of 2025. The ministry will investigate next year to what extent and for which types of crops this is feasible.
Niels van der Boom
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