EU Commission Extends Glyphosate Use for 10 More Years Amid Controversy

New conditions imposed, but decision draws criticism as debate over herbicide's safety continues.

The European Commission has decided to extend the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate in the European Union for 10 more years after the 27 member countries failed to reach a consensus.
New conditions for the use of glyphosate include a prohibition of pre-harvest use as a desiccant and the need for certain measures to protect non-target organisms.
Glyphosate, used in products like the weedkiller Roundup, has been at the center of a heated scientific debate over its potential to cause cancer and its possible disruptive effect on the environment.
Despite the EU's food safety agency stating in July that it did not identify critical areas of concern in the use of glyphosate, environmental groups and some political figures have criticized the decision to extend its use.
Germany, the EU's biggest economy, plans to stop using glyphosate from next year, but the decision could be challenged.