Minister of agriculture goes rogue, votes for glyphosate renewal in spite of environment minister's opposition

Today a qualified majority of EU member states voted for the Commission proposal to renew the authorization of glyphosate for five years. Germany voted in favour, despite having previously abstained from voting on the topic due to a difference of opinion between the environment ministry (which opposes renewal) and the agriculture ministry (which supports it).

Now a number of news reports circulating in Germany indicate that the German YES to glyphosate was sent to Brussels by the minister for agriculture Christian Schmidt (CSU, Bavarian Regionalist Conservatives), without the consent of and even against a explicit written veto by his colleague, the minister of environment Barbara Hendricks (SPD, Social Democrats).

This is a serious and unexpected break of procedure and trust within the government.

The division in the German government over glyphosate has been confirmed by Hendricks in the following words (confirmed by her spokesperson in writing):

"Exactly two hours before the start of the Appeals Committee meeting, today at 12:30, I clearly stated to my colleague Mr Schmidt over the phone that I still disagree with renewing the approval of glyphosate, even under certain conditions. It was therefore also clear that Germany had to abstain at the appeal committee meeting. At 13:07, Mr Schmidt confirmed to me by SMS that the disagreement remains.

"Apparently at the same time a different directive was issued to the representative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Brussels than was agreed between us. Anyone interested in building trust between partners cannot behave in that way."[1]

Pesticide Action Network Europe’s environmental toxicologist Angeliki Lysimachou commented on the 5-year renewal of glyphosate: "Although this might seem an improvement compared to the original 15-year proposal, it does not address the concerns of Europeans and provides no guarantee that the general public and the environment will be protected from the harmful effects of this chemical. This decision reveals once again the sad truth that governments are more keen to protect the highly profitable pesticide industry than the health of their people and the environment."

Notes

1. In German: „Genau zwei Stunden vor Beginn der Sitzung des Berufungsausschusses, nämlich heute um 12:30 Uhr, habe ich gegenüber dem Kollegen Schmidt telefonisch eindeutig erklärt, dass ich mit einer Verlängerung der Zulassung von Glyphosat weiterhin nicht einverstanden bin, auch nicht unter bestimmten Konditionen. Es war daher klar, dass Deutschland sich auch in der Sitzung des Berufungsausschusses enthalten musste. Um 13:07 Uhr hat Kollege Schmidt mir per SMS bestätigt, dass der Dissens bestehen bleibt.

Offenbar ist zur gleichen Zeit an den Vertreter des Bundeslandwirtschaftsministeriums in Brüssel eine andere Weisung ergangen als sie zwischen uns abgestimmt war. Jeder, der an Vertrauensbildung zwischen Gesprächspartnern interessiert ist, kann sich so nicht verhalten.“

Some articles in German about the issue:
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/eu-entscheidung-zu-glyphosat-spd-ministerin-hendricks-deutsche-zustimmung-ist-vertrauensbruch/20636592.html
https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article171010504/Grosser-Aerger-wegen-Deutschlands-Ja-zur-Glyphosat-Zulassung.html
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/bruessel-hendricks-deutsche-zustimmung-zu-glyphosat-nicht-vereinbart-1.3768567