Herbicide application - Glyphosate's limitations remain in place.
Concerning the herbicide Glyphosat, the limitations on its use in Germany remain in effect after the EU's reauthorization. This is emphasized in a rule established by the Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) and accepted by the Bundesrat subject to alterations. As a result, it is now unlawful to apply Glyphosat to personal gardens and private allotments, alongside water protection zones. Moreover, its pre-emergence and post-emergence treatment on farmland and a flat application to meadows are also banned. This regulation supersedes a temporary emergency regulation.
In the absence of a recommendation from the Agriculture Committee to exclude water protection zones from the usage ban, the ministry explained that maintaining current regulations would permit farmers to follow proven guidelines for employing total herbicides while ensuring Glyphosat's non-use in areas where nature is particularly sensitive or where special resource protection is needed, such as in water protection zones.
An emergency regulation that previously revoked a Germany-wide ban on Glyphosat slated to commence on 1st January 2024 was rendered null and void with the updated EU authorization. Additionally, interim measures extending the expiration of other restrictions were made temporary. The EU Commission extended the authorization for another ten years, ending in 2033, since there was no consensus among EU states in favor of or against the measure. Germany chose to abstain from voting.
One of the controversies surrounding Glyphosat entails whether it can be carcinogenic. Furthermore, potential ecological dangers also exist. A recent EFSA study did not identify any unacceptable risks but highlighted missing data in various areas.
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- The Federal Council in Germany, led by Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens), supported a rule that maintains the ban on Glyphosate usage in water protection zones, despite the EU's recent reauthorization of the weed killer.
- The Bundesrat approved the aforementioned rule with modifications, making it illegal to apply Glyphosate in personal gardens, allotments, and water protection zones in Germany.
- Berlin's decision to abstain during the EU-wide vote on the extended authorization of Glyphosate reflects Germany's stance, as the EU Commission granted another ten years of usage, up to 2033.
- Environmental organizations, including those in Berlin, continue to advocate for stricter Glyphosate restrictions within the EU due to growing concerns about its potential health and ecological impacts, despite the majority of EU states voting in favor of the measure.
- Cem Özdemir, a prominent advocate for environmental protection in Germany, has called for a broader EU-wide restriction of Glyphosate usage, especially in sensitive ecological areas, to minimize potential risks to both human health and the environment.
