The renewed vote in the Appeal Committee is necessary because last month in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) there was no majority for or against the extension. A qualified majority is required for the glyphosate decision: at least 55 percent of the EU countries and 65 percent of the EU population.
Germany, France, and Slovenia abstained last month, while Croatia, Luxembourg, and Malta voted against. The abstainers and opponents together represent 35.27 percent of the EU population. Thus, the 65 percent threshold was narrowly missed by the proponents.
In recent years, several EU member states have said that, while awaiting the EU's decision, they will impose their own glyphosate restrictions. French President Macron previously stated he was against an extended approval, but has since dropped this position.
In the Netherlands, the House of Representatives passed a motion in 2018 to limit use, but in recent years successive ministers Schouten, Staghouwer, and Adema have not taken that stance to the EU.
Glyphosate in agricultural products has been controversial for many years because opponents argue it poses health risks. The renewed approval in 2017 was narrow, mainly due to the promised scientific EFSA study. The Netherlands is one of four countries overseeing that study. As long as that opinion is not available, no one in Brussels wants to take the risk.
For the second vote on Tuesday, this also means that, for example, a change of Slovenia’s position—representing 0.47 percent of the EU population—to the yes camp would be sufficient for a temporary extension.
Attention will also be paid on Tuesday to the voting behavior of Germany, where since this year a center-left coalition has been in power, with the Green Minister Cem Ă–zdemir in charge of Agriculture. Germany voted in favor of the extension in 2017 under the then CSU minister Schmidt, much to the annoyance of coalition partner SPD, thus helping proponents achieve a narrow majority.