Monsanto has been banned from attending European parliament proceedings after the corporation refused to appear for a parliamentary hearing, slated for October 11, to investigate regulatory interference. The seed and ag-chemical giant is accused of influencing studies on the safety of the glyphosate, the primary ingredient in the company’s weedkiller Roundup.
“Monsanto officials will now be unable to meet MEPs, attend committee meetings or use digital resources on parliament premises in Brussels or Strasbourg,” says The Guardian.
The lobby ban could hurt Monsanto’s case as it campaigns “ahead of a decision later this year about the relicensing of glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer by one expert WHO panel,” says The Guardian. Another WHO panel later claimed the chemical was safe, but Monsanto’s aggressive outreach to regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Europe spurred the hearing.
“Monsanto spends between €300,000-€400,000 (£260,000 – £350,000) annually on lobbying in Brussels, according to its self-declaration form in the EU transparency register,” says The Guardian.