European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan has said that he hoped glyphosate would be reauthorised in the coming weeks for a period of at least 10 years. He was discussing the future of the ingredient used in herbicides such as Monsanto’s Roundup at the European Economic and Social Council ahead of the chemical’s licence expiry at the end of this year. Commissioner Hogan’s office clarified to the Irish Farmers Journal that the comments represented his consistent view on glyphosate. However, the European Commission has not yet formed its proposal on the chemical’s reauthorisation. Glyphosate had previously been authorised for 15 years. The Commission decided on an interim 18-month authorisation last June after its experts and those mandated by member states failed to agree a common position amid conflicting scientific reports and campaigns on potential links between glyphosate and cancer.