As a result, the proposal will now be submitted to the Appeals Committee. It is expected that this committee will discuss and vote on the proposal in the first half of November. A decision on the extension of glyphosate use must be made by December 14, 2023 at the latest, as the current approval expires on December 15, 2023.
Permits for products containing glyphosate can remain valid for one more year under the current license conditions, that is until December 15, 2024, provided the licensing conditions are met. Critics see the use of glyphosate as a major threat to the environment, but manufacturers dispute this.
For a qualified majority, the European Commission needs the approval of at least 55 percent of EU countries, which must simultaneously represent at least 65 percent of the EU population. Shortly before a vote, it was already clear that EU countries are still too divided to gather the minimally required 15 supporters or opponents.
For some countries, their position is currently unclear. At most, there were 8 supporters and 3 possible supporters, along with 3 opponents (Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria) and 3 abstentions (the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany) and seven undecided countries.
Among those abstaining and undecided are several countries that could still help the proposal reach a majority. For example, Sweden, which is currently the 'neutral' rotating EU president, according to procedures has not yet taken a definitive stance.
France would only agree if the French variant of glyphosate is used; not ten but seven years of approval, with a usage maximum per hectare, and only in ‘safe’ agricultural areas.
If by mid-November there is again no qualified majority in the Appeals Committee, the European Commission can still approve it on its own authority. In that case, a repetition threatens of the situation in recent years where a majority of the European Parliament wants to ban glyphosate, but the 27 EU countries mostly do not.
In that case, the European Commission finds itself in a squeeze from two sides. Although Parliament does not have veto power in the approval process, it does have an advisory role. Initiated by the Greens, a resolution is now being prepared, which will likely be on the agenda in Strasbourg in about two weeks.