EU dismisses claims of industry influence on glyphosate

The European Commission has dismissed claims of undue industry influence on its proposal to renew the EU approval of the herbicide, glyphosate. Environmentalist group Greenpeace quoted media reports that sections of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) peer review were “copied, word for word” from the application for renewal submitted by the industry-led Glyphosate Task Force. “Given the thorough scrutiny of the information by the EFSA and the European Chemicals Agency, there are no grounds to call into question the scientific assessment and conclusions on glyphosate,” says a Commission spokesperson. The EFSA has also condemned the claims as “yet another attempt to fabricate doubts over the peer review of glyphosate”. EU authorities have repeatedly had to defend the herbicide’s assessment. The Commission is currently discussing its proposals for a ten-year renewal with EU member states.