Press releases

6 December 2019, Brussels – Representatives from the European Member States in the EU Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCOPAFF) today voted to ban the neurotoxic pesticides chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl from the EU market, a historic move that has been applauded by health and environment groups [1]. 

Earlier this year, the Austrian parliament had decided to vote a ban on glyphosate, Bayer/Monsanto’s flagship herbicide. Austrian lawmakers decided to link the ban to the absence of a negative opinion from the European Commission. A negative opinion from the European Commission could potentially lead to the launch of an infringement procedure. However, the Commission did not provide any opinion to Austria, resulting in a green light for a ban on glyphosate!

“Save Bees and Farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment” - European Citizens’ Initiative.

A European Citizens’ Initiative launches today to phase out synthetic pesticides by 2035, support farmers, and save bees and nature. If it gathers one million signatures by September 2020, the EU Commission and Parliament must consider turning the campaign’s demands into law. [1] 

A new campaign has been launched today to stop the collapse of nature and to save rural livelihoods in the EU.

Civil society organisations from across the EU have submitted a proposal to the European Commission for a European Citizens Initiative (ECI) calling for new legislation to phase out pesticides, restore biodiversity and support farmers to transform our food and farming system. [1]

In the 16-17 July meeting of the Standing Committee on phytopharmaceuticals, a majority of Member States have shown how little ambitious they are to protect bees against toxic pesticides. Several decisions took place, highlighting how the agro-business is present in the Standing Committee through the voice of too many Member States.

Over a quarter of the food consumed in Europe contains residues of two or more pesticides, according to the annual report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). For certain foods the situation is much worse: more than 60% of the popular summer fruits tested (currants, sweet cherries, strawberries and bananas) come with pesticide “cocktails”.

Chlorpyrifos, a pesticide known for its damaging effects on children’s brain development, is among the top 15 active substances most frequently found in European unprocessed food and prominently present in fruit. This is the conclusion of a new briefing published today, bringing together all official EU data on the analysis of 791 different pesticide residues [1].

​Unique worldwide scientific study on pesticide contamination of playgrounds in South-Tyrol (Italy) published. Research team shares concerns about endocrine disruptors.

Newly released European Commission documents reveal a fight to cripple important European pesticide protections.

On 7th May in Berlin a gathering of leading scientists in toxicology and pesticides will come together to review the important recent research from Brazilian scientists and make connections between the commercial European export of chemicals banned in Europe due to health risk and their use in record levels in Brazilian food, grain and energy production.