The continent has been too rigid in recent years, too narcissistic, too comfortable. Some Brexiteers even posed justifiable questions. What if, for example, the EU has already fulfilled its primary function of securing peace and prosperity in Europe? What if the citizens of Europe no longer want deeper ties between their countries? Must "more Europe" really always be the only answer to everything?
The European Union now has the opportunity to reinvent itself. But it also needs to consider new, looser forms of memberships for countries like Britain or Turkey that want to conduct trade but either do not want to be or cannot be part of an ever-closer community. Next week, EU leaders will meet in Brussels for their first post-Brexit summit. It has to be the start of a new beginning. That's the only chance we have left.
EU health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said the commission would meet on Monday (27 June) to discuss the next steps. The commission is expected to push through the temporary relicensing of glyphosate.
EU farmers’ umbrella group Copa-Cogeca, which represents 23 million EU farmers and 22,000 agri-cooperatives, said it “regretted” that the appeal committee failed to give an opinion on the relicensing of glyphosate and it urged the commission to reapprove the product before 30 June.
Copa-Cogeca secretary-general Pekka Pesonen highlighted the many environmental benefits of using glyphosate.
“Farmers have been using for example no till – a sustainable agricultural practice – and it’s with the use of glyphosate that they can do this in a cost effective manner to ensure soils are in good condition.
“It is an important tool together with catch crops to prevent soil erosion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Without glyphosate, farmers’ competitiveness would be put at risk and EU food production threatened as no alternatives exist.”
The European Crop Protection Association said: “Failure to re-approve glyphosate would have significant negative repercussions for the competitiveness of European agriculture, the environment, and the ability of farmers to produce safe and affordable food.”