The videos and shocking visuals were liked. On Thursday afternoon, left-wing MEPs and MEPs rose up against a proposal to renew the authorisation of glyphosate for 10 years, which is due to be examined by the European Commission on Friday, while it considers that the level of risk of this herbicide does not justify banning it.
The coordinator of LFI, Manuel Bompard, opened the ball Thursday morning on France Info by calling on the France "to take a clear position against this renewal of this authorization." Very controversial, glyphosate has been classified as a "probable carcinogen" since 2015 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO).
"Pesticide lobbies use considerable financial resources"
"I understand that there may be a difficulty. But also understand that the health risks posed by this product for French men and women are intolerable and unacceptable," continued Manuel Bompard. Who sees behind this proposal, which must be validated in October, the power of the lobbies. "The lobbying work of this large Bayard Monsanto group has borne fruit (...) Everyone knows that pesticide lobbies at European level use considerable financial resources to influence political decisions," he said.
During the day, he was joined by the leader of the Insoumise MEPs, Manon Aubry, calling the initiative "madness". "Where is Macron who promised to lead the battle at the European level and remains silent?" she said. In France, the president had committed in 2017 to phase out glyphosate "at the latest" in early 2021, before going back on his promise.
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Since then, Paris has set itself the goal of getting out of most of the uses of this weedkiller. "We will fight in Parliament with my Nupes colleagues against this ecological and health nonsense," promises Manon Aubry.
"We have a month to make things happen"
In the afternoon, Green and Socialist MEPs also reiterated their position in favour of the ban. "Pesticides impact health and deplete soils at an unprecedented rate," wrote ecologist Mounir Satouri, as did the head of the EELV list for the next European elections, Marie Toussaint. "Total aberration. The European Commission wants to renew glyphosate for 10 years! Its reapproval and for such a period would constitute a violation of the human rights to life and health, and the rights of the living," she said.
"We have a month to make things happen," said Socialist MEP Christophe Clergeau. Green MP Delphine Batho has drawn a motion for a resolution in the Assembly "aimed at the non-renewal of the authorization of glyphosate within the European Union."
Macronists on the same line as the left
Rarely, they are on the same line as the presidential camp. Two heavyweights of the majority have positioned themselves against this proposal of the committee. "This is not in line with EFSA's scientific conclusions, which point to many grey areas in its analysis. This proposal is not acceptable," said Pascal Canfin, chair of the European Parliament's environment committee.
"If there is no modification of this proposal of the Commission, we will vote against," warned on France Inter the boss of Renaissance, Stéphane Séjourné, a very close to Emmanuel Macron.
