Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
948. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of his engagement with the European Commission regarding the prospect of a ban on the use of glyphosate; the contingency measures he will employ should such a ban be proposed and or implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20246/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current EU approval of glyphosate runs until December 2022. The EU process to consider if the approval can be renewed has started and is both detailed and rigorous. A technical dossier was formally submitted to the European Commission on 8 June 2020 by a group of interested companies known as the Glyphosate Renewal Group. The dossier will be made available to the public during the summer.
The dossier will be jointly evaluated by the Member State Assessment Group on Glyphosate, comprising France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden, who will draft a Renewal Assessment Report (RAR). The Assessment Group will undertake a comprehensive evaluation of all relevant data, comprising both specified regulatory studies and literature data, and will assess the most up-to-date information.
The assessment report will then be submitted to the Commission and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). EFSA will then initiate a scientific peer review process, which is expected to commence in the second half of 2021. The peer review process will involve public consultation and the participation of scientific experts from EFSA and Member State competent authorities, including the involvement of Irish experts.
EFSA will send its conclusions to the European Commission, who will make a proposal on whether or not to reapprove glyphosate. It is at that point that the Member State representatives on the EU regulatory committee dealing with pesticides legislation will vote on the Commission proposal and must reach a decision before the current approval expires on 15 December 2022.
As has been the case previously, my Department will be guided by the scientific assessment, EFSA’s conclusions on the EU evaluation and peer review processes concerning any decisions on glyphosate.
