Role of the German Federal Risk Assessment Institute in reauthorising glyphosate

4.9.2015

Question for written answer E-012542-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Pascal Arimont (PPE)

For the ongoing procedure to reauthorise the herbicidal active substance glyphosate, Germany is the rapporteur. The German Federal Risk Assessment Institute (BfR) is responsible for the draft health risk assessment report. The BfR's conclusion, to date, is that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk for humans. The draft assessment report has already been submitted to the European Food Safety Authority. Following recent evaluations by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), criticism is being directed at the BfR because the IARC classifies glyphosate as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. In this connection there is criticism inter alia of the fact that the BfR bases risk assessments also on ‘letters to the editor’, from the industry, and often cites studies by herbicide manufacturers.

1. In the Commission's view, is the BfR's inclusion of ‘letters to the editor’, from the industry, a proper basis for risk assessment?

2. How does the Commission view the fact that the BfR also falls back on ‘Glyphosate Task Force’ studies, i.e. studies which are carried out or commissioned by manufacturers and hence, in many instances, are not accessible to the public or the scientific community?

3. In the light of this, can the Commission guarantee that reassessment is taking place on the basis of independent criteria?