The European Commission is proposing to renew the authorization of the controversial herbicide for another ten years. She must vote again on the subject on Thursday.
“We are awaiting the final elements of proposals from the European Union” on glyphosate, “if there is no change, there is no reason to vote” from France “exchange”, indicated Wednesday November 15 on franceinfo Marc Fesneau Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. France abstained in a first vote on October 13 while the European Commission proposed renewing the authorization of the controversial herbicide for ten additional years.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which issued a report last summer, does not consider it dangerous enough to justify a ban on glyphosate, while the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies it “probable carcinogen”. During a first vote in October, the majority required to adopt or reject the Commission’s proposal relating to the renewal of glyphosate was not reached. The 27 European countries will once again have to decide on Thursday.
“A total ban is not possible”, insisted Marc Fesneau. “We found that there was no alternative today”, he explained. However, Emmanuel Macron tweeted in November 2017 with the hashtag #MakeOurPlanetGreatAgain: “I asked the government to take the necessary measures so that the use of glyphosate is banned in France within three years at the latest,” he writes. Since then, the President of the Republic’s position on glyphosate has evolved somewhat. Marc Fesneau tried to define it: “France’s position is simple. Where there are alternatives, we must continue to push them to have a reduction trajectory, where there are no alternatives, we seek to try to find”, he explained.
The Minister of Agriculture admits that scientists are slipping: “There are sometimes technical impasses that exist in agriculture,” he explains, drawing a parallel with medical research. “There are diseases for which we still have no medicine. It’s the same”he says.
“There is no European country that does without glyphosate and on the other hand, there is only one European country that has reduced the use of glyphosate, that is France”, he said. In 2020, Luxembourg was the first country in the European Union to ban glyphosate. “Luxembourg has a current position”retorted the minister.
Marc Fesneau rejected accusations that he would sacrifice the health of thousands of French people for agro-industrial interests: “I have a family, I have children, so I will never accept being lectured to. I too defend the interests of French health and I care about it”he replied.