What can we do now?
Dear Friends of ELIANT,
Glyphosate, according to the WHO, is a suspected carcinogenic and threatens all plant life through its total toxic destruction - except for the crop it is supposed to protect. It is a deadly neurotoxin for insects such as bees, causing a major decimation of birds due to a lack of food, contaminating water, damaging the soil microbiome and destroying biodiversity in all these ways. On 25th October the independent Ramazzini Foundation presented the preliminary results of its global Glyphosate study. Cases of rare leukaemia were found in relatively young animals exposed to Glyphosate-based herbicides. Great concern was expressed amongst other things for the damage being caused to the human microbiome and immune system. However, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) conclusions do not take any significant account of this.
Decision of the EU Commission
Despite environmental organisations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) having for years warned of the dangers of using Glyphosate, the EU Commission voted as follows on 13th October: 18 member states were in favour of extending its use for a further ten years; only three countries – Luxembourg, Austria and Croatia – clearly opposed it while Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Malta abstained. There was no qualified majority.
Decision of the parliament and the next round in the EU
That because of 2 missing no votes, EU national representatives on the EU Parliament's Committee for Health and the Environment voted to extend the use of Roundup/Glyphosate for a further ten years, has caused great consternation and raised many questions. Non-governmental organisations are still trying to persuade member states to vote no. The next committee meeting takes place on 16th November. If there is still no qualified majority the EU Commission can then decide by itself – it has the jurisdiction to do so.
Since it doesn't want to be in that sensitive position it is likely to propose an extension to seven years as a compromise in order to persuade France to vote in favour.
EU citizens have long wanted Glyphosate prohibition
Already in 2018 one million EU citizens – including ELIANT and Demeter International – supported a ban on Glyphosate. In response an extension was granted for only five years in order to give time for alternatives to be found and missing data to be objectively and independently researched. More than 2400 studies and scientific papers have since been deposited with the EU assessors for evaluation – most however have been commissioned and paid for by the industry, which speaks against the independence of this research.
The variety of nature, a rich biodiversity and healthy food are great concerns for the majority of EU citizens.
What we can do
It needs more than ever the engagement of many to bring pressure to bear on policy makers on a national level to reduce Glyphosate use – more than a million tons are applied each year across the world! But serious media outlets are also needed that are willing to report regularly about the true damage caused to nature and human beings – as well as the many possible consequences of a mass introduction of the latest gene technology. It is after all likely according to the principle of subsidiarity, that member states will decide the possible limits to Glyphosate use. Even if they cannot entirely prohibit what has been authorised by the EU, countries can decide on significant restrictions.
With hope and greetings from the ELIANT team
Michaela Glöckler
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