Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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179. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the reauthorisation of glyphosate at EU level; and if a position paper been submitted by his Department on the issue to the European Commission in this regard. [40108/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The European Commission extended the approval of glyphosate for a limited interim period in June 2016 to allow for the completion of an assessment by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The extension followed a comprehensive review by the European Food Safety Authority. This review, which included detailed consideration of a report produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation, concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans and can be used safely without putting consumers or users at risk.

The RAC delivered its opinion in March 2017 and concluded that glyphosate does not warrant classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction. This means that legally glyphosate does not meet any of the substance non-approval criteria specified in Regulation 1107/2009. The RAC opinion was adopted by consensus with the full support of all members and was formally submitted to the Commission by ECHA on 15 June 2017. A final decision on renewing the approval of glyphosate under the Plant Protection Products Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009) is due to be taken by 15 December 2017.

The Commission has prepared a first draft of a proposal for renewal of the approval of glyphosate, which was discussed by Member State representatives at the technical experts standing committee meeting in July. The draft proposal is to renew the approval of glyphosate for a 10-year period, instead of the normal 15-year period, with various conditions of use specified. A further meeting of the standing committee is scheduled but it is not yet known if the renewal of glyphosate will be included on the meeting agenda.

The current proposal is being considered and a position will be taken when the current text or any amended text is tabled again at the standing committee. The Department has supported previous Commission proposals in relation to the renewal of the approval of glyphosate.