On 15 June 2021, the Assessment Group of Glyphosate (AGG) – composed of France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden – published its draft Renewable Assessment Report (dRAR) on glyphosate. This chemical product, known for its controversial side effects, can be used in the EU until December 2022 (the renewal process must end before this date).
The assessment process started in December 2019, followed by the submission of a comprehensive dossier in June 2020. All applicants were represented by the Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG), which submitted the data and justifications.
After analysing the dossier, the AGG concluded that there was no justification for glyphosate to be classified in the human health risk area as germ cell mutagenicity, genotoxic or mutagenic, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity and specific target organ toxicity. However, the criterion “eye damage” is classified as a justified reason and was retained. For ecotoxicology, the criterion “toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effect” has been retained as well.
This document was sent to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Food and Safety Agency (EFSA) with a Harmonised Classification and Labelling (CLH) dossier for assessment. EFSA and ECHA will invite all interested parties to contribute through public consultations (scheduled to be released at the beginning of September 2021). Then, the AGG will be asked by EFSA and ECHA to address comments received. EFSA can request additional data from the applicants.
EFSA conclusions are expected in the second half of 2022, as well as the feedback from the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) of ECHA. Then, the European Commission will prepare a discussion in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) in which risk managers of all Member States are represented.
EuChemS on Glyphosate
The European Chemical Society (EuChemS) held a workshop: Glyphosate, Harmless Tool or Sneaky Poison ?, which took place at the European Parliament in 2017. Members of the European Parliament, policymakers, and researchers discussed the toxic potential of the chemical in health, environmental and plant protection domains.