European Parliament votes against
Glyphosate is 1-0 behind in Brussels
The European Parliament (EP) voted on Tuesday 24 October about renewing the license for glyphosate. The herbicide is given an extension of 5 years, while 10 years was demanded. Member States will vote on the decision on 25 October.
The glyphosate file is a hot topic in Brussels. Partly because the debate between advocates and environmental organizations, which are firmly against, is running high. The signal that the EP is sending is clear. Glyphosate is 1-0 behind, which means that innovation for 'green' alternatives must be accelerated. The problem, however, is that they are scarcely available or are being thwarted.
355
January
Parliament is for ban
355 MPs voted in favor of a ban after 5 years, 204 were against and 111 abstained. So is CDA MEP Annie Schreijer-Pierik. "For an extension of the authorization, only scientific facts about the carcinogens must be decisive," she says. "European agencies and scientists conclude that there is no conclusive evidence for this. A complete ban, which will lead to the admission until 2022, is disproportionate."
Final vote Wednesday
Individual member states will vote on the extension on Wednesday 25 October. This is valid for 10 years, but you can also opt for 3 or 5 years. At least 16 Member States, representing 65% of the European population, must vote in favor of an extension tomorrow. The United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Spain are positive about the extension. France, a key stakeholder, is against it.
Alternatives are hampered
Schreijer-Pierik calls glyphosate "indispensable for large parts of European agriculture and horticulture." It does welcome the fact that pre-harvest spraying is no longer allowed, as is the use on pavements by municipalities, among other things. "Where there is a threat of leaching, good prevention measures are required. For example, the use of equivalent green low-risk resources," says the MEP.
"They now have to endure unnecessarily long national and EU admission procedures. Dutch producers are unnecessarily hindered. Green PPPs, of organic origin, must be given space as a matter of urgency from the European Commission and Member States, including through an accelerated authorization procedure. the CDA was already adopted by the EU parliament in February."
Niels van der Boom
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