Glyphosate renewal – timeline and numbers

March 2025

Approval extension

GB approval extended by one year, until 15 December 2026.

November 2023

EU Commission renews approval for 10 years

The EU Commission renews approval for 10 years, until 15 December 2033. The science supports all uses, but EU politics ends up prohibiting use as a pre-harvest desiccant.

July 2023

EFSA risk assessment and peer review published

The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 27 EU national authorities and 90 regulatory experts complete and publish the EFSA risk assessment and peer review.

It does not identify any critical areas of concern, showing glyphosate meets the criteria for safe use as a pesticide and for renewal.

December 2022

Initial application for GB renewal submitted to HSE

Initial application for GB renewal submitted to HSE.

EU approval of glyphosate is extended by one year until 15 December 2023, to allow more time to complete the renewal assessment.

June 2021

AGG report

EU independent AGG (Assessment Group on Glyphosate), made up of regulatory experts from four different countries, submits a draft application assessment report, which is around 11,000 pages long – more than twice the length of a typical report.

The AGG concludes glyphosate meets the criteria for safe use as a pesticide.

January 2021

Brexit transition period ends

Brexit transition period ends and Great Britain extends its expiry date for glyphosate by three years, until 15 December 2025.

2019 – 2020

EU glyphosate renewal application is submitted

The EU glyphosate renewal application is submitted – the dossier is around 180,000 pages long – between two and four times more information than the typical renewal dossier.

December 2017

EU approval due to expire

EU approval due to expire. Renewed for five years, until 15 December 2022.