The Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change, in a statement has said that Malta is to vote against the renewal of the licensing of the herbicide glyphosate.

The licences are due to expire at the end of June and therefore it had to be decided whether such licences should be renewed or not, the Ministry said.

The European Commission is endeavouring to try and reach a consensus in this regard and had therefore referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Plant Protection Products.

In the absence of scientific consensus regarding glyphosate, the Ministry said that Malta’s original position was to abstain and recommended the possibility of implementing more restringent conditions in the licensing regimes at a national level.

“Today, however, the Government has decided to further apply the precautionary principle and, therefore, Malta should vote against the renewal of such licences.”

The Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change José Herrera has directed the competent national authority to inform the Commission accordingly.

The Ministry remarked that this shows that, “for the Maltese Government, environmental issues are definitely a priority.”

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