They used scientifically unfounded arguments or downplayed the harmful effects of glyphosate by applying, for example, inadequate statistical methodologies. In doing so, they violated their own guidelines and international protocols.
For this reason the Pesticide action network (Pan) Europe and its members – ClientEarth, Générations Futures, Global 2000, Pesticide action network Germany and the Netherlands – presented a appeal to the European Court of Justice to challenge the European Union’s approval of glyphosate for another 10 years.
We talked about it here: Glyphosate, the European Commission authorizes the use of the dangerous herbicide for another 10 years
The world’s most widely used herbicide has actually been linked to serious health and environmental risks, including cancer, reproductive disorders and neurological diseases. Having been re-approved for 10 years, it will continue to be used widely across Europe, although the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” already in 2015. So much so that, under EU law, the use of pesticides with this hazard classification should be banned, but EU risk assessments from 2017 and 2023 concluded that glyphosate poses no significant health risks , which allows it to remain one of the most used herbicides in Europe and in the world.
What happened
Last January, NGOs asked the Commission to review the decision to reapprove glyphosate until 2033, because it violates the provisions of EU law and in particular Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009.
In response, the Commission formally rejected the request for review in September 2024, and the NGOs are now officially filing an appeal in court.
EU science agencies are bending the rules to conclude that glyphosate is safe. Numerous scientific studies, including from the industry itself, clearly link it to serious adverse effects, such as cancer and potentially neurological diseases, says Angeliki Lysimachou, head of science and policy at PAN Europe.
By intentionally using less sensitive statistical methods, dismissing critical scientific evidence and neglecting pioneering cancer research, the EU is failing in its duty to protect public health. We cannot remain silent on this issue: it is about safeguarding the health of current and future generations.
NGOs focused on what they identified as the shortcomings most significant in the risk assessment of glyphosate in the EU and as part of their analysis the organizations presented the following important findings to the Court:
Therefore PAN and its members ask the EU Court to stop the Commission’s decision. We’ll see what happens.
