Glyphogate! It's Summer and we need you to avoid a toxic Autumn
On the 6 July we at CEO together with a coalition of other organisations expressed our outrage when the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave shocking green light to the prolongation of the permit for Europe's most widely used herbicide: glyphosate.
EFSA gave the nod of approval despite the recognition that there are clear health and ecological issues with glyphosate. EU law says that in case of uncertainties and clear signs of potential harm, lawmakers should apply the precautionary principle.
CEO is part of the Stop Glyphosate Coalition which has launched a new website: stopglyphosate.eu, the only complete and independent information hub on the infamous weedkiller, which accounts for 30 per cent of all herbicide use in the EU. By giving an overview of the independent (scientific) information, scandals, and procedures, we aim to empower journalists and citizens to expose the hidden truth of glyphosate to their elected politicians.
Our research and investigations have been part of the glyphosate controversy for over a decade. Glyphosate was classed in 2015 as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the WHO, based on a review of existing scientific data. This contradicted the position of regulatory agencies, including EFSA, which had deemed glyphosate to be safe for human use.
Shockingly, EFSA and European member state national agencies base their assessments predominantly on industry studies. The deeply flawed EU pesticide authorisation system neglects a wealth of independent and peer-reviewed scientific studies that link glyphosate to severe health and environmental problems.
Then US cancer victims of Monsanto’s Round up and glyphosate won in court against ‘the most hated company in the world’. The Monsanto papers, showing internal fraud and deceit by the company, were revealed; in the meantime Bayer bought the beleagured company for €50 billion. We saw various examples of scientific misconduct while the global glyphosate market grew to €7 - €9 billion per year.
The renewed authorisation for 5 years in 2017 was highly contested, including a successful European Citizens Initiative. Many EU politicians, like French President Macron, promised to use the 5 years to work on a phase-out. European citizens in the meantime – demanded via another ECI Save Bees and Farmers, in food barometers, and in the Future of Europe report that politicians need to deliver.
Yet instead, they want to rubber-stamp glyphosate again. The European Commission is acting behind closed doors and has already presented a draft glyphosate renewal proposal to member states, according to a leaked document. As if nothing happened. As if there is no wealth of scientific evidence showing the impacts on health and ecosystems.
We should not accept this secretive way of doing and denying independent science and calls from from citizens!
🔥Support us in our work to stop the ever growing use of pesticides in agriculture. For that we need policymakers that have an eye for the biodiversity emergency, who support the existing alternatives and roll back the lobby-power of agrochemical companies like Basf, Bayer and Syngenta; in other words we want to continue our fight against ‘the toxificaction of EU politics’.
Not only are these corporations not being held accountable for their damage to people and planet, they have been put in the driving seat to lead the EU’s response. This makes the agrochemical multinationals and their shareholders pop champagne bottles but will hurt people and the planet. People are sick of glyphosate, and we're sick of being lied to.
We need toxic free politics! We know times are tough, but if you can afford it, please consider making a donation to support our work.🔥
In early July EFSA clearly recognised the potential of glyphosate products to cause developmental neurotoxicity and harm the microbiome and biodiversity. Nevertheless EFSA proposes to continue with the approval process by kicking the ball to member states. We need your support to make noise and call on your governments to not vote in favor of prolongation.
The coming months we will announce actions and news updates on the website stopglyphosate.eu, so watch this space!
To help us, please make a donation here - perhaps even a monthly one. It is highly appreciated and necessary to continue our work in full force! You can also help by amplifying our work by sharing it through social media channels.
Best wishes,
Belén, Bram, Hans, Joana, Kat, Karin, Kees, Kenneth, Nina, Olivier, Pascoe, Sarah, and Vicky