Activists protested in front of the headquarters of the glyphosate manufacturer Bayer against an EU-wide re-approval of the weed killer.
It is primarily about clarifying data gaps, said a spokesman for the “Coordination against Bayer Dangers” group, which with a handful of members handed over an open letter to Bayer in Leverkusen on Thursday. The company, on the other hand, is committed to renewing the approval: The product has proven itself for decades and is safe and environmentally friendly when used correctly.
Bayer should comment on studies that show that glyphosate is dangerous, the letter says. As long as data gaps cannot be eliminated, Bayer should refrain from lobbying efforts. In July, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) acknowledged data gaps in several areas regarding glyphosate, but did not identify any unacceptable risks: the risks were not so great that further approval had to be prohibited. But unanswered questions remained.
A Bayer spokesman argued that data gaps were nothing unusual. They could be the result of scientific research or new requirements from authorities. In the case of glyphosate, studies were still ongoing. However, Efsa has made it clear that it is not to be expected that this will lead to the safety level being exceeded. The fact that critics addressed data gaps shows “that they cannot put forward any scientifically valid arguments against renewing the EU approval of glyphosate.”
Glyphosate is approved throughout the EU until December 15th. Taking into account the EFSA results, the EU Commission will develop a proposal for further approval. The agriculture ministers of the EU states decide on this. The federal government still wants to ban glyphosate from next year. The SPD, Greens and FDP have set this out in the coalition agreement.
The Bayer share was temporarily 1.16 percent higher at 48.89 euros via XETRA.
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