Glyphosate in the EU: „The commission is tricking”

The European Commission is proposing to re-authorize the pesticide glyphosate in the EU. (Photo © Pixabay)

Today, the EU member states are going to vote about the re-authorization of the herbicide glyphosate again. Despite the fact that the approval period is much shorter than usual, there can be no question of a phase-out, says Martin Häusling, speaker for agricultural policy of the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament. “Because the commission is tricking”, he states in a press release. This is how he explains his suspicion:

„Ten years? Five? Or only three? It doesn’t matter, which of the EU commission’s proposals concerning the limitation of the herbicide glyphosate’s re-authorization will work in the end: Even by applying shorter deadlines, there can be no question about a phase-out of the probably carcinogenic pesticide. The commission plays foul, banks on time, has no interest in any limits for the use of the poisons on the acres – and even in household gardens.

Because even if the member states agree on an authorization period of five years tomorrow, we are solely dealing with setting a new deadline, but we are not initiating a phase-out. A phase-out scenario isn't even linked to the commission’s proposal, even if this impression is gladly being planted on the citizens.

If glyphosate will be banned from supermarkets here and there, will be laid upon the member states by the commission, instead of finding a consistent and general guideline for Europe. So, the bickering will only be translocated and postponed, instead of ending it once and for all.

The now targeted five years, are a very long period of time for an agent probably being carcinogenic, but still being poured onto our fields, and the unlimited use of which will be fought for by the agroindustry with all its power.

That’s why I’m demanding an end of the authorization of glyphosate as soon as possible, like the EU Parliament is proposing.

This includes strict limits of usage, namely on the acres to begin with. It’s a shame that farmers use chemicals instead of the plough as it would be skilled practice. Or that they kill crops by spraying, in order to make harvesting more convenient and to cover cultivation flaws.”