The four E.U. member states responsible for reviewing glyphosate, approved for use in the E.U. through mid-December 2022, has recommended extension.  Representatives of France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden, comprising the Assessment Group on Glyphosate have submitted a joint draft report to the European Food Safety Authority and the European Chemicals Agency recommending continued use of the compound.

The Assessment Group concluded that glyphosate "meets the approval criteria for human health and re-approval".  The Assessment Group determined that claims that glyphosate is carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic are unjustified.  The report noted "no chronic or acute consumer risks is expected from treatment of crops with glyphosate". 

Predictably environmental groups oppose the findings of the Assessment Group with the Health and Environmental Alliance characterizing the extension of glyphosate registration as "a major step backwards, highlighting remaining questions about the objectivity and independence of the safety assessment of pesticides in the E.U." 
 

In September, the European Food Safety Authority will initiate public consultations on glyphosate with a peer-reviewed study in 2022 before a final vote late in that year.

Following Brexit, the U.K. government is no longer bound by E.U. regulations and will in all probability extend authorization for glyphosate through 2025.

(Subscribers can retrieve an extensive list of posts on the technical and legal aspects by entering “glyphosate” and “Bayer”)  in the SEARCH features of both EGG-NEWS and CHICK-NEWS)