Update 6 June – No decision today at the expert committee (Paff) of the 28 member states in Brussels at the vote on renewing the authorisation for the use of glyphosate, the controversial herbicide, for a maximum of 18 months. The necessary majority was not reached, so the matter now passes to the European Commission. "It is up to the member states to take their own responsibilities," commented spokesperson Alexander Winterstein.

The authorisation, which expired at the end of June 2012, has already been extended twice. The Commission's latest proposal for an extension could extend that licence to a total of 15 and a half years, that is, until the end of 2017, when the European Chemicals Agency (Echa) is expected to complete its assessment of the adverse effects of glyphosate on human health and the environment.

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19 May: the vote on renewing the use of glyphosate in Europe has been postponed again. The group of experts representing the 28 countries that make up the European Union are still too divided to reach a decision and the vote has been postponed.

Without a new authorisation, glyphosate will not be legal in Europe from 30 June

"The European Commission has made it clear that it would not proceed to a vote without a solid qualified majority of member states," a Brussels spokesperson said. "Since it was obvious that the necessary majority would not be reached, the vote was not held," the same spokesperson said, adding that at this point "the Commission will reflect on what emerged from the discussions" and "if no decision is taken before 30 June, glyphosate will no longer be authorised in the EU and member states will have to withdraw the authorisations for all glyphosate-based products".

Italy and France opposed to glyphosate

Time is running short, but the European Commission appears fairly firm in its refusal to decide on behalf of the 28 member states, as has happened many times in the past in analogous situations involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs), in the absence of the necessary majority. According to reports, the only countries openly opposed – in the event of a vote – would have been Italy and France, while Germany, Sweden, Slovenia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Austria and Greece would have chosen to abstain.