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French environment minister Nicolas Hulot told French media on Tuesday that his country would vote against the five-year licence proposed by the European Commission ahead of a meeting of EU member state representatives on Thursday.
“France’s position is for three years,” he said. His cabinet colleague, agriculture minister Stéphane Travert, publicly supported a five- to seven-year authorisation at the end of September.
A nature conservation activist brought into government by new French president Emmanuel Macron, minister Hulot was initially opposed to any re-authorisation of the popular herbicide ingredient. The country’s position has shifted in recent weeks, with internal power struggle between president Macron’s largely pro-business cabinet, and the huge influence of minister Hulot, who consistently polls as France’s most popular politician.
Any decision on the future of Roundup and other glyhposate-based weedkillers requires the agreement of countries representing 65% of the EU’s population.
The votes of three of the four most populated countries in the EU – Germany, France and Italy – remains uncertain, making Thursday’s scheduled vote a high-risk affair with just five weeks to go before glyphosate’s current licence expires.
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