Promoted content by the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT)
This 12 and 13 October 2023, Member States will gather to cast their votes on the European Commission's proposal for a 10-year renewal of Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in Europe, whose authorization is set to expire on 15 December 2023. There is uncertainty surrounding whether the Commission's proposal will secure adoption through a qualified majority or if the vote will be delayed.
What is crystal clear is that the outcome of this renewal process will not only impact the livelihoods and well-being of millions of agricultural workers in Europe, it will also serve as a litmus test for the EU. Eight months ahead of the elections, it will reveal whether the EU opts for a progressive vision or chooses a more regressive path at the expense of farm workers, current and future generations, and our planet.
At EFFAT, we stand firmly committed to safeguarding the health and safety of agricultural workers advocating for a just transition toward a more sustainable agriculture with quality jobs. That's why we advocate for a ban on Glyphosate, the protection of jobs and the promotion of non-chemical alternatives. Our stance enjoys support from various civil society organizations, national institutions, and governments, many of which have expressed concerns or outright opposition to the proposal as well as the assessments made by European Chemical Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Hearing the science
EFFAT's call for a Glyphosate ban is grounded in the mounting scientific evidence of its harmful effects on human health, including toxicity, carcinogenicity, and endocrine-disruptive properties, as well as its detrimental impact on biodiversity, the environment and ecosystems. Alarmingly, this evidence seems to have little influence over EU institutions.
Despite the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy's ambitious environmental goals, the European Commission’s recent draft regulation on a potential 10-year renewal of Glyphosate appears to prioritise other concerns than the well-being of millions of workers and consumers in Europe.
Ahead of this week’s vote, EFFAT and its affiliates have emphasized the need for unity and mobilisation to drive change. We have repeatedly joined forces with civil society organizations within the Stop Glyphosate Coalition and strongly urged the EU institutions and national governments to stop ignoring science at the expense of millions of dedicated farm workers in Europe that provide for the food we depend on.
As the vote outcome is in the courts of member states through the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed (SCoPAFF), EFFAT affiliates are now elevating this important fight at national level.
No double standards
Regardless of the outcome of the glyphosate renewal process, EFFAT mission towards the reduction of pesticides will continue to grow extending beyond the borders of the EU.
As many of the challenges ahead of us, safeguarding the environment and the health and safety of farm workers has a global nature. This commitment extends to ensuring workers' protection not only within the EU but also beyond its borders. This workforce encompasses a wide range of roles, including park staff, agricultural laborers, gardeners, and forestry workers, all of whom can be exposed to hazards associated with herbicide use.
One of EFFAT key initiatives revolves around advocating for a ban on the export of harmful pesticides from the EU's 27 member states. While such pesticides are already banned within the EU, European agro-chemical companies continue to produce and export toxic substances. EFFAT, along with 325 trade unions and NGOs globally, has jointly called for an immediate halt to the EU's export of toxic pesticides that jeopardize people and the environment in other regions.
To combat this hypocrisy, trade unions and civil society must work on a global scale, pushing for a new approach to international trade negotiations that adheres to equal environmental and social standards as a precondition for engaging in any Free Trade Agreement discussions. Particular emphasis should be placed on our sectors. Given their delicate sustainability, the possibility of excluding them from FTAs should be considered when the outcomes of negotiations pose risks to vulnerable actors across the food supply chain.
An opportunity not to be missed
The battle for sustainable agriculture and the protection of farm workers' health and safety is a global mission encompassing various fronts, from fair free trade agreements to pro-science and progressive alliances. EFFAT and the IUF, play a pivotal role as frontline champions in this collective effort to create a safer and more sustainable future for all. Strengthening collective bargaining is a powerful tool throughout this transition.
The end of Glyphosate in Europe represents a unique opportunity to lay one of the foundational blocks for this transition and save workers’ lives. This vote is an opportunity members states cannot afford to miss.
By Ivan Ivanov, EFFAT Agriculture Political Secretary & Maddalena Colombi, EFFAT Communications Manager
