The European Commission has extended the license for the controversial weedkiller glyphosate by another 18 months. After member states failed to achieve a qualified majority in favour or against the approval, the Commission gave the green light in a last-minute decision one day before the license would have expired. By the end of 2017, the European Chemical Agency, the competent EU agency for the assessment of dossiers for the classification of chemical substances, is expected to publish its opinion. Glyphosate is the world's most widely used weedkiller and the main ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup brand of herbicides. In March 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of the World Health Organisation, classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans”. The Commission’s decision was heavily criticised by NGOs and environmentalists. Greenpeace EU food policy director Franziska Achterberg said: “The EU has decided to extend the use of glyphosate without any meaningful restriction, despite WHO warnings that it is a probable cause of cancer. This reckless decision was driven by a Commission that has lost touch with European citizens, quietly backed by many national governments. Heidi Chow, a campaigner with Global Justice Now, said the ruling “means another 18 months of hundreds of thousands of tons of a ‘probably carcinogenic’ chemical being sprayed on our parks, our farms and in our gardens.” The Commission said the decision was taken because “EU Member States failed to take responsibility for the decision on glyphosate extension.” Neither Monsanto was happy with the decision since the authorization was only temporarily extended. The company urged the Commission “to present without further undue delays a proposal for a full renewal under the regulatory framework”. Monsanto announced plans to engage over the coming months with all relevant stakeholders in “productive conversations about glyphosate and the vital role it will play in sustainable agriculture for many years to come.” Civil society and environmental organisations have been campaigning against the use of glyphosate in Europe since the use of pesticides is not in line with their definition of “sustainable agriculture”. On Wednesday, Slow Food called on the EU to “no longer ignore the externalization of the real costs of agroindustry that relies on substances like glyphosate at the expense of human health, animal health, biodiversity and soil health.” Instead, the principles of agroecology should be introduced into agricultural production systems, they said in a press release. Given the 18-months extension, Slow Food called on Member States to set clear restrictions on the use of glyphosate so as to minimize human exposure. This includes a ban for amateur use in gardens and homes, the use in public parks, roadways and railways as well as a ban on spraying food crops just before the harvest in order to avoid high levels of residues. (ab)