A temporary extension of glyphosate's approval in Great Britain looks increasingly likely, Farmers Weekly reports, because the current approval period runs out on 15 December 2026 and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has yet to open its statutory consultation.
A 60-day consultation launched now would push a decision into late November or beyond. An HSE spokesperson said it still expects to launch the consultation as part of its renewal assessment, which is checking whether the herbicide continues to meet approval criteria, including risks to human health and the environment.
Nick Mole of the Pesticide Action Network, which wants glyphosate banned, understands officials are considering a one-year extension while the UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement develops. That agreement would bring dynamic alignment, so that Great Britain mirrors future EU decisions on active substances and maximum residue limits; the government intends it to take effect in mid-2027, but negotiations continue.
The Glyphosate Renewal Group, a coalition of companies including Bayer and Syngenta, said it remains confident in the science and that any procedural extension would give HSE time for a full and transparent assessment. It argues glyphosate is essential to regenerative systems because it controls weeds with less soil disturbance.
Northern Ireland is outside the GB review and follows EU pesticide rules, under which glyphosate is approved until 2033.
Photo: Mick from Northamptonshire, England / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Source: Farmers Weekly
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