Glyphosate: watchdog accused of reliance on industry reports

A German regulator has dismissed MEPs’ claims that it relied on chemical industry research in its evaluation of a licence renewal application for the systemic herbicide glyphosate.

A report, commissioned by a group of MEPs led by Belgian Green Bart Staes, was presented in Strasbourg on Tuesday on the eve of a European Parliament vote on the findings of a special committee investigation into the controversial agrochemical.

The report reinforced previous allegations that the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) had relied on industry research in the evaluation of the licence renewal application for the chemical, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s flagship ‘Roundup’ product.