Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide active substance which is approved for use in Great Britain (GB). For details, go to the GB approvals register[1]. Products containing glyphosate are authorised for a wide range of agricultural, horticultural and amenity uses.
We are assessing whether the approval of glyphosate can be renewed in GB in accordance with assimilated Regulation No 1107/2009 (Legislation website)[2] and assimilated Regulation No 844/2012 (Legislation website)[3]. The GB renewal process is described here: GB active substance renewals: pesticides[4].
Admissibility
The Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG) has supported the renewal of approval of glyphosate in GB with an admissible application. The application and supporting dossier are available here: GB pesticide active substance renewal list[5].
Approval extension
Where, for reasons beyond the control of the applicant, it appears that an approval is likely to expire before a decision can be taken on renewal, as the competent authority, we must extend the approval period by a further period sufficient to examine the application. Therefore, to allow for a renewal assessment to be completed, we have extended the approval of glyphosate until 15 December 2026.
Assessment
We will now assess whether glyphosate continues to meet the legislative approval criteria for an active substance. This will take account of any new scientific, technical and regulatory knowledge. This will include anything that has changed or been updated since the approval decision.
It will also include a critical consideration of the recent European Union (EU) assessment which supported their decision to renew the approval of glyphosate. You can access the 2023 EU Renewal Assessment Report for glyphosate through the Open EFSA website[6].
We have requested the GRG to provide additional information to support their application. We will make this additional information publicly available.
Public consultation
The public will have the opportunity to comment on our draft conclusion. These comments will be taken into account before any renewal decision is made. We will issue an eBulletin to notify stakeholders of the start of the public consultation period. To receive this notification and further updates sign up to receive the HSE pesticides eBulletin[7] if you have not already done so.
Decision
Following assessment and consideration of comments received, if glyphosate is expected to meet the legislative approval criteria, then the approval will be eligible to be renewed. This would be for a period of up to 15 years. It would also trigger a programme of work to reassess all authorised pesticide products that contain glyphosate to determine whether they continue to meet authorisation criteria.
If the renewal assessment determines that glyphosate is no longer expected to meet the legislative approval criteria, then we will determine whether a more restricted approval would meet the criteria. If no such restrictions are possible, then glyphosate will not be eligible for renewal. This would result in the phasing out of products containing glyphosate from use in GB.
Glyphosate in Northern Ireland
Under the terms of the Windsor Framework, EU plant protection regulations (EC website)[8] continue to apply directly in Northern Ireland. The EU’s recent decision to renew glyphosate therefore permits authorised products to be sold and used in Northern Ireland.