French agency calls for research to examine carcinogenic potential of glyphosate

It says this research will investigate glyphosate’s possible carcinogenic mechanisms of action and assess their relevance for humans.

An active substance in many herbicides, in December 2017, the European Union re-approved its use for a further five years.

As part of France’s national glyphosate withdrawal plan designed to phase out its main uses by the end of 2020, ANSES is carrying out a series of studies on this active substance and the products containing it.

Following the controversy on the carcinogenic classification of glyphosate, ANSES was asked to draw up specifications for one or more toxicology studies in order to improve knowledge of the substance’s carcinogenic potential.

It says the results must be available by the end of 2021 at the latest for submission as part of glyphosate’s re-approval process.

The current approval of glyphosate expires on December 15, 2022, so the process for renewal must begin in December 2019, i.e. three years before the expiry date, according to the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA.