Abstract
In 2017, the European Commission permitted the use of glyphosate as a herbicide component for five more years until the end of 2022. Prior to this decision, the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health discussed the issue and only after months achieved the necessary majority among the member states. Austria (together with Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg and Malta) voted against permitting the broadband herbicide and now wants to examine whether a national glyphosate exit is possible.
For this reason, the BMNT commissioned a feasibility study. Apart from possible negative effects on the local agriculture, the study also examines the legal basis for a national glyphosate exit or for limiting the use of glyphosate.
The Institute of Law analyses, among other aspects, the currently existing laws for applying glyphosate and the legal basis for municipalities to renounce the usage of glyphosate. The primary goal is to point out the legal possibilities for the federal state and its provinces to prohibit glyphosate under European Union law.
Project Partners
Departement of Crop Sciences (DNW), Division of Plant Protection
Departement of Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo), Institute for Sustainable Economic Development Departement of Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo), Institute of Law AGES - Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd.
Participants from the Institute of Law
Univ. Prof. Dr. Iris Eisenberger, M.Sc. (LSE), project lead
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Dragana Damjanovic, LL.M. (Berkely), project lead
Mag. Sophie Marie Schmidt, project staff
Michael Fürmann, project staff
Funding:
This project is funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism (BMNT).
https://www.bmnt.gv.at/english
/">https://www.bmnt.gv.at/english