Banning glyphosate is possible. And it is possible to do so at national level, too, for as long as the European Union is unwilling to follow suit. Austria has shown the way, becoming on 2 July the first European nation to have approved a total ban on the use of the world's most widely used herbicide on its territory.

Common Dreams @commondreams

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"Good news"—Austria is on track to become the first country in the European Union to fully ban the cancer-linked herbicide glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup. commondreams.org/news/2019/07/0…

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The "precautionary principle" invoked on glyphosate

The parliament in Vienna reached the decision by invoking the "precautionary principle". In other words, since the scientific community is not in agreement on the effects that glyphosate has on health, it is prudent, in the absence of certainty, to protect one's population. Starting with farmers, who are the most exposed to the risks associated with use of the pesticide. Starting with farmers, who are the most exposed to the risks associated with use of the pesticide.

Commenting on the halt to glyphosate, Greenpeace described the vote as "historic", calling on the European executive to respect the Austrian decision. The amendment was tabled by the social-democratic party Spö, but received broad, bipartisan support, extending even to the far-right Fpö. Even so, the debate in Austria was particularly heated, with supporters of glyphosate pointing out that the European Union had renewed its authorisation in 2017 for the marketing of products based on the substance through to December 2022.

The conservative party, frontrunner in September's elections, voted against

This is one of the last measures passed during the current parliamentary term, which has been particularly short owing to the fact that it was not possible to find a majority within the Austrian Parliament. At the upcoming snap elections, to be held in September, the conservative party Övp — which voted against the ban on glyphosate — appears to be the frontrunner. It is therefore not certain that Austria may not reverse course in the future.

Read also: Glyphosate, Monsanto convicted by a US federal court too

In the meantime, however, the European nation has also distinguished itself through other particularly significant measures on environmental matters. Starting with the decision to ban plastic bags across its entire territory from 2020 and the decision to block the privatisation of water sources.