EU Renews Glyphosate Use

Considering all the relatively negative herbicide news circling the globe at the moment, the industry can finally claim a victory. After a couple of years of back and forth debate among its members, the 28 nations that make up the European Union (EU) have approved a five-year license renewal for glyphosate. This effectively unlocked a deadlock that dated back to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) ruling that the herbicide was “a possible cancer causing agent in humans” almost two years ago.

“Today’s vote shows that when we all want to, we are able to share and accept our collective responsibility in decision-making,” wrote EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis in a written statement regarding the vote.

Although the EU’s chemical agency dismissed the IARC findings in March, several countries still opposed renewing the continued use of glyphosate. In fact, nine nations voted against the extension, including France. Portugal abstained.

However, 18 other nations – including Spain, the United Kingdom, and Germany – voted in favor of the five-year renewal. The commission is now set to officially renew glyphosate’s license before December 15.

Given how much negative news is currently making the rounds in the herbicide marketplace – including the much-publicized troubles regarding dicamba applications in the U.S. – a bit of positive news is a welcome relief. Hopefully, there will be more “good news” stories to come once the calendar turns to 2018 in a few short weeks.