BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) said on Thursday that it had not identified “critical areas of concern” to prevent renewed EU approval for glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer AG’s Roundup weed killer.
EU approval for the chemical that has been widely used by farmers for decades, is set to expire at the end of the year and the EFSA conclusion is a key part of the process of deciding whether to renew it.
Glyphosate has been a focus of controversy since the World Health Organization’s cancer agency concluded in 2015 that it was probably carcinogenic to humans. Bayer has said decades of studies have shown that glyphosate is safe for human use.
The European Commission will determine whether to propose renewing approval for glyphosate based on the EFSA conclusion and a report from a group of four EU countries. EU members will subsequently vote on the Commission proposal.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop)
