{"id":26122,"date":"2019-12-18T00:01:52","date_gmt":"2019-12-18T04:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=26122"},"modified":"2019-12-18T10:35:23","modified_gmt":"2019-12-18T14:35:23","slug":"france-withdraws-approval-of-36-glyphosate-based-weed-killer-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2019\/12\/france-withdraws-approval-of-36-glyphosate-based-weed-killer-products\/","title":{"rendered":"France Withdraws Approval of 36 Glyphosate-Based Weed Killer Products"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\"(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, December 18, 2019) France is making headlines this month in the great, global glyphosate (Roundup) debate. Last week, the French health and safety agency, ANSES (Agence Nationale de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 sanitaire de l\u2019alimentation, de l\u2019environment et du travail or the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), made preliminary decisions within its review of authorizations for the 69 glyphosate (Roundup) weed killer products allowed for sale in the country. ANSES called for immediate withdrawal of authorization for 36 of those products \u201cdue to a lack or absence of scientific data which would allow all genotoxical risk to be ruled out.\u201d The agency also announced it has denied authorization of 4 out of 11 glyphosate-based products submitted for approval since January, 2018.<\/p>\n

According to ANSES<\/a>, the 36 pesticides taken off the market represent almost 75% of glyphosate-based products sold in France for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses. The agency strengthened its framework for requirements regarding glyphosate following the 2017 European Union (EU) re-evaluation and 5-year approval of the active ingredient glyphosate. ANSES now requires that companies provide additional data considering health and environmental risks, particularly regarding genotoxicity. The provisions mandate specific studies be carried out using \u201cstandardized and robust methods.\u201d<\/p>\n

French president Emmanuel Macron had promised in 2017 to phase out all uses of glyphosate-based weed killers by 2021, but in January of this year reversed himself, stating<\/a>, \u201cI\u2019m not going to lie to you, it\u2019s not true.\u201d During a public debate, he said that if the ban moved forward he would be \u201ccompletely killing some sectors.\u201d After that declaration, advocates vowed to use a January court decision<\/a> to go after glyphosate-based products in the market; A court in Lyon ruled at the beginning of the year that the 2017 approval of Roundup360 had not respected a \u201cprecautionary principle\u201d in failing to consider potential health risks. From the recent evidence, it seems that the tactic is working.<\/p>\n

Glyphosate<\/a> is a broadleaf herbicide that is determined a \u201cprobable carcinogen\u201d by the World Health Organization. It has garnered worldwide controversy due to environmental concerns and high-profile lawsuits. However, government action has been hard-won in only some countries. In Europe, particularly, the deliberation on this popular toxic product is lively. In 2018, six ministers of agriculture or environment from France, Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Malta signed a letter to EU officials<\/a> asking for the EU executive to conduct a study and investigate alternatives. They asked for an \u201cexit plan\u201d from the use of glyphosate-based products.<\/p>\n

Some countries within the EU have gone further by taking matters into their own legislation:<\/p>\n