The European Food Safety Agency says it hasn’t identified areas of concern that would stop the reapproval of glyphosate for use in the EU.
Market Screener says EU approval of the widely-used chemical is set to expire at the end of 2023. The agency’s conclusion is a key part of the process of deciding whether renewal will happen. The World Health Organization decided in 2015 that glyphosate was “probably” carcinogenic to humans. Bayer points out that decades worth of health studies show that glyphosate is safe for humans to use.
The European Commission will determine whether to propose glyphosate for renewal based in part on the EFSA conclusion.
Bayer says it welcomes the agency’s finding and feels it laid the groundwork for successfully renewing glyphosate in the European Union. The food safety agency says even with missing residual trials, its experts concluded there would not be a major concern for consumers.