Belgium will not support the extension of glyphosate in Europe and will abstain from the vote in the Council of the European Union, co-leader of the Flemish Greens (Groen) Jeremie Vaneeckhout has announced.
The Flemish environmentalist calls it "an important victory for human health and the environment."
Glyphosate is already banned for private consumers in Flanders and Wallonia, but Belgium's Groen party now wants to extend the ban to the whole European agricultural sector. "It's not logical that glyphosate should be banned in your driveway, but that it can still end up on your plate via agriculture," Vaneeckhout said.
At a European level, "Germany and Luxembourg have come out in favour of a total ban. Thanks to pressure from the Green party, Belgium will abstain from the vote. This will hopefully lead to a total ban in Europe," he added.
"The World Health Organisation is clear about the health hazards of glyphosate. This toxin is potentially carcinogenic and is associated with lymphoma, infertility and Parkinson's disease. It has been shown to be harmful to bees and aquatic life. Why should we allow such products, which endanger our health and our environment, any longer?"
The politician believes the sector has sufficient other methods that "are not harmful to health and the environment."
The European Union will make its final decision on 13 October.
