Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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924. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of EU level developments regarding reauthorising glyphosate. [46239/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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As you will be aware the Commission prepared a first draft of a proposal for renewal of the approval of glyphosate and this was discussed by Member State representatives at the technical experts standing committee meeting in July and again in early October.

The draft Commission proposal tabled at these meetings was to renew the approval of glyphosate for a 10-year period, instead of the normal 15-year period but also attaching various additional conditions of use. The Commission proposal to renew glyphosate is based on the conclusions of risk and hazard assessments conducted by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Chemicals Agency.

As a number of Member States had not committed to a voting position at the early October meeting, a further meeting was convened on 25 October last.  At this meeting it was evident that there was insufficient support for the EU Commission proposal and consequently no vote was taken.  There followed a brief discussion which largely concentrated on the length of the approval period but this discussion failed to yield a satisfactory compromise. 

A further meeting of the standing committee is scheduled for 9November. A revised proposal to renew the approval of glyphosate for a 5-year period has been tabled by the EU Commission for discussion at this meeting.

My Department indicated support for the Commission proposal (10-year approval) tabled at the 25 October meeting.  My Department is currently considering the revised Commission proposal and a position will be taken in advance of any vote.