EFSA Glyphosate

Glyphosate’s approval for use in the EU is set to expire at the end of the year. EFSA has conducted a review of an assessment by four member states – France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden - of the risks proposed by 23 uses of glyphosate.  They found no health or environmental concerns that affects “all proposed uses of the active substance” and concluded that glyphosate presents ‘no critical area of concern’ that would prevent renewing its approval. A concern is defined as critical when it affects all proposed uses of the active substance under evaluation (e.g. pre-sowing uses, post-harvest uses etc.),

However, the review did identify “a high long-term risk to mammals” in 12 of the proposed uses of glyphosate, but was not able to draw “firm conclusions” on the potential impact on biodiversity, citing a “lack of harmonised methodologies and agreed specific protection goals”.  It also identified a number of data gaps in the assessment of consumer dietary risk and the impact on aquatic plants due to a lack of information on how they are exposed to glyphosate from spray drift.  These data gaps are to be considered by the European Commission and Member States in the next stage of the renewal of approval process.

The full assessment document will be published at the end of July 2023.  The summary findings can be found here.

Hot on the heels of a batch of recently published work from SPRINT, we have our 5th newsletter out now. We have an exciting period ahead with our first results emerging, so subscribe by signing up to project news on the homepage to get new editions in your inbox and make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Sprint newsletter 5 release

In consultation with our partners in France, we will host the 2023 meeting in Bordeaux! For everyone involved in SPRINT as a consortium member: Save the date: 4-8 Sept. 2023! 

Save the date 4th plenary

IPM 2

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystems-based approach to managing pests. It emphasises reducing the negative impacts of pest management on agro-ecosystems, through using natural pest control (such as supporting a healthy ladybird population, which helps control aphids), improving crop resilience, and minimising the use of pesticides.

Over recent years, the term has been adopted by a broad range of agricultural stakeholders, all supporting its principles. But what actually is IPM, where did it come from, and what is its significance for the SPRINT project?

Click here to find out more. 

On Tuesday 24 January, there was an Official Hearing of the Save Bees and Farmer European Citizens Initiative at the European Parliament. Our project leader Violette Geissen, was also present to speach during the hearing about the first SPRINT results. "Pesticide residues are omni-present in ecosystems and humans. Most of the residues are hazardous. What is the real risk of being exposed to mixtures of high numbers of pesticides? Who has the answer to this? Nobody."

The movie below will show an impression of the hearing. (Violette is seen from 3:20 onwards)



For the full press release please visit the website of PAN-Europe.