That is just a few days before the European meeting on October 13 during which EU countries must cast their votes.
This vote can be in favor, against, or abstention, said Deputy Prime Minister Karien van Gennip after the weekly cabinet meeting. “All options are still on the table.” According to Van Gennip, there is still “a lot in motion, also in Europe.” The Dutch House of Representatives believes the Netherlands should join Germany and Austria in advocating for a ban on the use of glyphosate.
Van Gennip thereby referred to the discussion last Wednesday in the European Parliament, where Commissioner Stella Kyriakides (Food Safety & Health) so far stood by the proposed extended approval.
It also became clear that the European Commission is working on some minor modifications in an attempt to gain sufficient support from EU countries for the proposal. Additionally, countries would be allowed to impose their own extra restrictions, as France has recently done.
This individual approach is supported by most EU countries, but not by Germany and Austria, and possibly not by France and the Netherlands. In that case, next week in the SCoPAFF committee, there will be no qualified majority in favor nor opposed. That happened again last year, after which the European Commission had to decide unilaterally on a temporary extension to allow for additional research.
As expected, left-wing and green parties in the European Parliament were against the proposal and demanded a ban applicable throughout the entire EU. Some even threaten legal action against the Commission. The liberal Renew faction noted that apparently this pesticide is not dangerous enough to be removed from the market as asbestos was at the time.
Even EU politicians from agriculture-friendly groups such as EPP/CDA and ECR/SGP, who say they support a ‘limited’ extension, say glyphosate ultimately must be ‘phased out.’ They also warn of the risks that could arise if each country implements its own criteria, potentially causing competition again among farmers from different EU member states within the common agricultural policy.