Press releases

PAN Europe applauds that some countries share public and scientific concerns

The European Commission's proposal to reapprove the glyphosate licence for 10 years faced another deadlock today. It failed to reach a qualified majority from Member States' representatives in the Appeal Committee. The EU Member States did not agree for the second time in about a month.

Glyphosate and glyphosate based herbicides can harm soil organisms, which perform essential ecosystem functions. This is underlined in a new brief of PAN Europe, summarising important findings from scientific literature.

In a joint report released today, the NGOs Générations Futures and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe shed light on a previously overlooked concern: a specific category of pesticide active ingredients that are officially recognized as 'PFAS' or Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.

Background

European NGOs demand an urgent policy rethink and no renewal of glyphosate.

A new study published groundbreaking data on how low levels of glyphosate herbicides - that have previously assumed to be safe - caused cases of leukemia in young rats, following early life exposures. (1)

Today Members of the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) upheld and partially improved the Commission’s proposal for a regulation on the use of pesticides (SUR). The adopted compromise text includes some improvements, but still falls short on key provisions to protect citizens and the environment.

Members of the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) have a fundamental choice to make: will they support an ambitious regulation on the use of pesticides, as urgently asked for by citizens and science, or will their vote echo the agro-chemical industry? A recent survey by market research agency Ipsos and published by the Pesticides Action Network (PAN) Europe again assures: EU citizens don’t want policy-makers to take risks when it comes to pesticides.

In a judgment published on 18 October, the Belgian Council of State overturned Belgium's derogations for the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds in 4 legal procedures initiated by PAN Europe and its Belgian member, Nature et Progrès Belgique. The judgment follows a ruling from the Court of Justice of the EU that clarified that Member States are not allowed to provide a derogation for the use of a pesticide that has been banned in the EU to protect health or the environment.

De Raad van State heeft de beroepen tot nietigverklaring van Nature et Progrès en PAN Europe tegen toelaten van veboden pesticiden toegewezen. Dit maakt een einde aan het gebruik van zaden die omhuld zijn met neonicotinoïden, pesticiden die zeer giftig zijn voor bijen - en dus voor ons voedsel. Sinds 2018 is het gebruik van deze stoffen op Europees niveau verboden.

The EU Member States did not reach a qualified majority to reapprove the licence for glyphosate In the SCoPAFF meeting today. PAN Europe welcomes the decision. Gergely Simon, Senior Policy Officer at PAN Europe, says: “This is an important signal. It does right to the concerns of a majority of Europeans about the impact of pesticides on health and environment. A wide range of independent scientists have expressed their concerns and their studies show serious negative effects of glyphosate use.

The EU Member States did not reach a qualified majority to reapprove the licence for glyphosate in the SCoPAFF meeting today. PAN Europe welcomes the decision. Gergely Simon, Senior Policy Officer at PAN Europe, says: “This is an important signal. It does right to the concerns of a majority of Europeans about the impact of pesticides on health and environment. A wide range of independent scientists have expressed their concerns and their studies show serious negative effects of glyphosate use.