Consumer health and environmental protection in Europe prevailed over the agrochemical 'lobbies' in the penultimate 'round' of discussions on glyphosate. But the victory is not yet a foregone conclusion.
Only one member country, Malta, had the courage to openly declare itself against the renewal of the authorization for the use of the poisonous pesticide. Seven others, including Germany, France and Italy, abstained from voting on the Commission's proposal for an 'interim' authorization, for another 18 months, pending a further risk assessment (this time by the Echa, the European Chemicals Agency).
The European Commissioner to Salute Vytenis Andriukaitis - in proposing the 'laissez faire', certainly appreciated by the TTIP negotiators - had tried to downplay the scope of the decision, arguing that the Member States could still have introduced restrictions and bans on their territories. He will now try again to find an agreement with the national representations, or he will run the risk of taking an autonomous decision.
The sides they are less clear than they may appear. The agricultural confederations in the adhering countries, such as Coldiretti in Italy, declare themselves against. But the 'confederation of agricultural confederations in Europe', Copa-Cogeca, far from the spotlight, is militating in support of the 'RoundUp'. With the 'hidden' favor of the food multinationals, and the obvious one of the 'Corporations' of the 'agrotoxicos' (Monsanto, Bayer, BASF, etc.).
The battle against glyphosate it is instead conducted by environmental associations and supported by over 2 million signatures, 150 thousand in Italy alone, on a petition calling for the definitive ban on this endocrine disruptor that numerous scientific studies have confirmed presents serious risks of genotoxicity and carcinogenicity.
Our point of view on glyphosate it is clear, we believe it is a weapon of mass destruction that should be banned globally. We have written about it on several occasions (1), dedicating a central chapter of the'' ebook 'GMO the Great Scam'.
The Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, in its recent analysis report 2013-2014 (2), reveals the widespread pollution by pesticides in water in Italy. Despite the pioneering in the integrated struggle in agriculture, and the Italian 'leadership' in 'bio' productions in Europe.
The massive use of glyphosate - in fields, as well as in gardens and public parks - also remains in human organisms (3).
Across the Atlantic Ocean, sentient beings or unwitting guinea pigs?
Dario Dongo
Footnotes
(1) https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/news-food-times/armi-di-distruzione-di-massa-il-glifosato, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/news-food-times/glifosato-ora-basta
(2) http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/rapporti/rapporto-nazionale-pesticidi-nelle-acque-2013-dati-2013-2014
(3) http://ecowatch.com/2016/05/29/urine-test-monsanto-glyphosate, http://ecowatch.com/2016/05/12/mep-glyphosate-urine-test
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
