EU countries have rejected a European Commission proposal to renew the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide, postponing the vote Wednesday. The initial proposal suggested renewing the license of glyphosate for 10 years. But after much debate, EU member states failed to agree on extending glyphosate’s use for even as little as three years. The controversial chemical’s alleged carcinogenic properties stem from a 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) report which stated that glyphosate was “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The Commission said that it “took note” of its member states’ positions, promising to “reflect” it. It said it would announce the date of the next meeting shortly. The Commission hopes to vote again on the issue sometime in November before glyphosate’s license in Europe expires on December 15.
