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As a community, we’ve been fighting to ban the toxic chemical glyphosate in Europe since we were founded. And there’s been a breakthrough: Austria recently passed a historic vote and is set to become the first EU country to completely ban the herbicide. [1]
But companies like Bayer-Monsanto are gearing up to sway the EU Commission to strike down Austria’s ban. None of us alone have the power to fight back against giants like Bayer-Monsanto, but together we can beat them. If enough of us put pressure on the EU to uphold the ban, many other EU countries could easily follow Austria’s example. We’ll be closer than ever to a glyphosate-free and safer future for all of Europe.
Tell the EU to uphold Austria’s ban on glyphosate
The EU Commission and EU countries have until November 29 to try to block the ban.
It’s no surprise that Bayer-Monsanto has already started arguing that Austria’s ban contravenes EU procedures. [2] They don’t care about safety first or whether their product can cause cancer, as long as they maximise their profits.
But when the Commision was trying to get EU countries to approve a new license for glyphosate in 2017, it already told countries that they could ban glyphosate individually if they wanted. [3] Together we need to stop Bayer-Monsanto from preventing a ban on glyphosate in Austria. And all we need to do is remind the EU Commission of their own words!
Remind the EU to respect countries’ right to ban pesticides
We’ve been fighting against the likes of Bayer-Monsanto for years. And together we’ve made a difference. In 2017, thanks to our campaigning with our NGO partners, EU institutions only granted a 5-year license to glyphosate and not the 15 year license that the industry wanted. [4] That year we launched an official European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) which gathered over 1 million signatures in favour of banning glyphosate. And as a direct response to our ECI, the EU changed the law so that formerly secret industry safety studies must be shown to the public. [5]
Now that we can see these studies, we have more tools to challenge Bayer-Monsanto when glyphosate and other dangerous chemicals come up for re-approval in the EU. And if the EU upholds Austria’s ban, we have an opportunity to build momentum for a EU-wide ban TODAY, without waiting for the license to expire.
Build momentum for a glyphosate-free future for all of Europe
In the past, together we’ve proven that our people-power is stronger than the corporate lobby. Austria’s historic ban could finally prove to be the catalyst that influences all of Europe to remove glyphosate from our food supply. Let’s keep up the pressure and tell the EU Commission to resist Bayer-Monsanto’s lobbyists and respect all EU countries’ right to ban pesticides.
With determination,
Fatima (London), Giulio (Rome), Virginia (Madrid), and the entire WeMove Europe team.
P.S. In the US multiple lawsuits by cancer patients against Bayer-Monsanto have concluded that the toxic chemical causes cancer and have cost the company billions in shareholder value. [6] There are now over 13,000 plaintiffs suing Bayer-Monsanto for causing cancer. Let’s make sure the EU is on the right side of progress and supports the ban of glyphosate in Austria.
References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-austria-glyphosate/austrian-parliament-backs-eus-first-total-ban-of-weedkiller-glyphosate-idUSKCN1TX1JR
https://www.dw.com/en/austrian-parliament-votes-to-ban-glyphosate-weedkiller/a-49450418
[2] https://www.wsj.com/articles/austrian-herbicide-ban-adds-to-problems-for-roundup-owner-bayer-11562087770
[3] https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/glyphosate_en
[4] https://euobserver.com/environment/140042
[5] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20181205IPR20935/food-safety-more-transparency-better-risk-prevention
https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/meps-ready-to-negotiate-efsas-transparency-rule-but-need-to-find-a-new-negotiator/
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P8-TA-2018-0489+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN
[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/business/monsanto-roundup-cancer-verdict.html
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-19/bayer-judge-cuts-2-billion-roundup-verdict-in-tentative-ruling
