BRUSSELS, Belgium — A proposal to renew authorization of glyphosate failed last week to get sufficient backing by European Union states, pushing the issue back to November.
The European Commission had proposed allowing the use of the pesticide until the end of 2033.
Glyphosate is controversial in Europe because of claims it can affect biodiversity, while some scientists also suspect it of being carcinogenic. Major producer Bayer denies that it is harmful.
The current permission for the use of the herbicide in the EU ends Dec. 15.
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Further talks are to be held in the first half of November, the commission said. The initial proposal can be amended.
If there is neither a sufficient majority for nor against the proposed renewal among EU countries, the commission can decide on its own.
The European Food Safety Authority, the bloc’s watchdog, found in a study published in July that the herbicide poses no unacceptable risk.
The risks examined were not so great that further approval had to be prohibited, the study said, while noting gaps in data in several areas.
Under the draft legislation, the future use of glyphosate is to be subject to different conditions, including risk reduction measures to mitigate drift from spray application. Environmentalists worry the chemical could impact nearby plants such as wildflowers.
The possible authorization renewal has been met with criticism from some politicians, environmentalists and activists.
German agriculture minister Cem Özdemir said the use of glyphosate should be phased out. Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, plans to ban glyphosate on a national level starting next year.
Several environmental organizations have accused glyphosate manufacturers of suppressing risk information in the EU approval process.
Greenpeace held protest rallies in several EU countries last month, calling for a ban on the herbicide.
