News

Sustainable use of pesticides and ways to tackle antimicrobial resistance were debated by Agriculture MEPs and Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis on Monday evening. The debate on pesticides soon turned into a heated discussion on next steps for glyphosate, a widely used but highly controversial plant protection product, whose authorisation for use in the EU expires on 15 December 2017. Read more.

The global agricultural sector can curb emissions immediately and provide a window for fossil fuel-guzzling energy and transport sectors to decarbonise before global warming spirals out of control, the United Nations said on Friday (10 November). Read the original post.

Major issues still need to be addressed to secure equal and fair treatment for EU citizens in the UK after Brexit, stresses the European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Group, chaired by Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, BE). Read more.

The Council was updated by the Commission on the state of play of trade-related agricultural issues, and in particular on the negotiations with Mexico, Mercosur and in the WTO. Ministers expressed concern about the possible impact of free trade agreements on sensitive agricultural products such as beef, ethanol and sugar. The Commission informed the Council about the results of its report on the sustainable use of pesticides. During the debate that followed the presentation, ministers shared ideas on current and future measures to achieve the objectives of the European directive on the sustainable use of pesticides, and on how to speed up the implementation of the integrated pest management principles. Read more.

EU farmers’ union Copa-Cogeca has rejected the Commission’s revised proposal for a five year re-authorisation of glyphosate, claiming that such a proposal would “undermine” credibility in the EU institutions. Instead, they suggest a full 15-year re-approval. Download the Copa-Cogeca's Press Release here.