The European Commission will have until the 8th of January 2018 to respond to the European Citizen initiative calling for glyphosate to be banned within the EU. Glyphosate is used in weed-killers such as Roundup and Monsanto. The movement also wants a reduction in the use of weed-killers in Europe. The ICE meets all the requirements for the Commission to examine it.
The initiative known as “Stop Glyphosate” was started on the 25th of January last year. For the Commission to examine it, it had to have been signed by at least a million EU citizens from at least 7 EU countries. It achieved this in mid-June, so the ICE organisers closed it earlier then planned.
The Commission has confirmed the initiative was a success. This means the Commission has three months to make a decision regarding the demands put forward by the EU citizens involved in the anti-glyphosate movement. During this period, the Commission will meet with the organisers and give them the opportunity to speak during the public audience at the European Parliament. It will then issue an official response, which will list any action it will take and the reasons for acting or not acting.
56,068 people in Belgium signed the petition calling for a ban on glyphosate. In total, the petition was signed by people in 22 countries.
(Source: Belga)
