EU vote on glyphosate results in extended approval

The EU Commission's Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (Scopaff) only formally objected to a time-limited extension of the glyphosate authorization. Member states failed to achieve a qualified majority to avert an extension until December 15, 2023, as proposed by the European Commission. The Commission justified the extension on the grounds that the relevant expert authority would not be able to issue its final opinion on the risks of glyphosate until the summer of next year.

Germany abstained from the vote. One of the reasons given by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for this position was that it wanted to wait for the expert opinion before making a final decision that would stand up in court. The coalition of SPD, FDP and Greens has agreed to phase out the use of glyphosate in 2024. If the EU Commission does not receive a qualified majority for its extension proposal in further votes, it can ultimately decide on its own responsibility.