The executive arm of the EU approved a short-term extension of European use of the weedkiller glyphosate while a safety study is completed. EU members are deadlocked over renewal of the license and without the intervention by the European Commission, the license would have expired today and started a six-month phase-out.
Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the 28-nation EU and throughout the world, is the main ingredient in Roundup, sold by Monsanto. Use of glyphosate soared after Monsanto genetically engineered crops to tolerate spraying with the herbicide. In addition, chemical control of weeds is an integral part of erosion-reducing low- or no-till cropping.
In a fact sheet, the EC said it extended its authorization of glyphosate until the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) issued its opinion on safety. The EU review of glyphosate began three years ago, ahead of the expiration of a 15-year approval. During a news conference, EU health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said “we adopted (an) extension of glyphosate for 18 months” while the ECHA carries out its study.
The EC said it has recommended to member nations that they minimize pre-harvest use of glyphosate, minimize use of the weedkiller in public parks, playgrounds and gardens, and ban a co-formulant called POE-tallowine from glyphosate-based products.
“The safety of glyphosate has been hotly debated ever since the International Agency for Research on Cancer declared it a “probable human carcinogen” in March 2015,” said Science magazine. “Regulatory agencies had previously declared glyphosate safe when properly used, and the European Food Safety Authority was on track to renew its approval.”