MEPs voted in favour of proposals to increase the transparency of the EU pesticide approval process on Wednesday.
A report produced in October 2018 recommended that the public be given access to the studies used in the authorisation procedures for pesticides. It also calls for a clamp down on fake and illegal pesticides entering the EU.
The report was adopted with 526 votes in favour, 66 votes against and 72 abstentions.
It was produced by a special committee, PEST, which was established to look into the EU’s authorisation procedure following controversy surrounding the renewal of glyphosate.
Co-author of the report, Norbert Lins said: "It is crucial that the approval procedure remains science-based. On such an important issue, scientific research is the be-all and end-all. Interests or ideologies have no place here. This decision must not be dependent on daily politics or emotions."
Over-politicised
Earlier this month, Mairead McGuinness MEP raised concerns that EU pesticide policy was being over-politicised. She said there were growing populist calls to ban all agrochemicals without thinking of the consequences for farmers.
She highlighted the risk of scientific rigour taking second place to opinion.
"We need to give consideration to the future of food production and how plant protection products [PPPs] fit into a sustainable, environmentally-friendly system, rather than starting from the position that the use of PPPs carry huge risks and that they can be done without,” McGuinness said.
Read more
Science not populism must be to the fore of pesticide debate – McGuinness
MEPs to vote on blueprint to boost trust in the EU pesticides approval procedure
MEPs voted in favour of proposals to increase the transparency of the EU pesticide approval process on Wednesday.
A report produced in October 2018 recommended that the public be given access to the studies used in the authorisation procedures for pesticides. It also calls for a clamp down on fake and illegal pesticides entering the EU.
The report was adopted with 526 votes in favour, 66 votes against and 72 abstentions.
It was produced by a special committee, PEST, which was established to look into the EU’s authorisation procedure following controversy surrounding the renewal of glyphosate.
Co-author of the report, Norbert Lins said: "It is crucial that the approval procedure remains science-based. On such an important issue, scientific research is the be-all and end-all. Interests or ideologies have no place here. This decision must not be dependent on daily politics or emotions."
Over-politicised
Earlier this month, Mairead McGuinness MEP raised concerns that EU pesticide policy was being over-politicised. She said there were growing populist calls to ban all agrochemicals without thinking of the consequences for farmers.
She highlighted the risk of scientific rigour taking second place to opinion.
"We need to give consideration to the future of food production and how plant protection products [PPPs] fit into a sustainable, environmentally-friendly system, rather than starting from the position that the use of PPPs carry huge risks and that they can be done without,” McGuinness said.
Read more
Science not populism must be to the fore of pesticide debate – McGuinness
MEPs to vote on blueprint to boost trust in the EU pesticides approval procedure
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