Glyphosate re-registration update July 2017

Following the conclusions announced in March 2017 by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which found that the herbicide active ingredient glyphosate should not be classified as carcinogenic, thus supporting the 2015 conclusions of the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA), the European Commission will now submit its draft proposal for re-approval back to the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, (SCoPAFF) for a vote. A Draft Review Report and Regulation is widely expected to recommend a 10 year approval.

However, a vote by Member States is not anticipated to take place until the following SCoPAFF meeting on 5-6 October 2017 at the earliest, particularly as Chancellor Angela Merkel has recently announced that a vote on glyphosate renewal must happen only after the German elections on 24 September.

It is far more likely that the vote will be taken at the meeting on October 5th/6th. There is a chance that discussions could delay the vote until the December meeting though this is thought to be unlikely. A Qualified Majority in support of the Regulation will be required before the next stage of re-authorisation of individual products can then take place at Member State level over the following 12 months.

Glyphosate products containing POE-t/ETA/tallowamine are no longer authorised for sale, but can still be applied by end users until the end of June 2018.

Glyphosate products currently on sale in the UK are already authorised until the end of December 2018, which allows time for the new authorisations to take effect without leaving any gap.

NB. Should there be any further delay in the decision making process, then further extensions must be issued under EU Regulation 1107/2009, so there is no risk that product authorisations will suddenly lapse.

Products containing glyphosate can be located in the Total Weed Control category of the Pitchcare Store.