The European Union on Thursday approved the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate for another 10 years. But there will be new conditions and restrictions, the EU Commission said.

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used weedkillers in the world, but critics point to evidence that it may cause cancer and pose a risk to biodiversity.

What the EU said about the authorization of glyphosate 

Representatives of EU states were unable to reach a decision last month, and a new vote by an appeal committee was again inconclusive. Therefore, the EU's executive arm said it will endorse its own proposal and renew the approval with conditions.

"These restrictions include a prohibition of pre-harvest use as a desiccant and the need for certain measures to protect non-target organisms," it said in a statement. 

The current period of authorization was due to expire in mid-December. Previously, not enough representatives of the EU member states had spoken out either for or against the continued use of the product in an EU appeals committee. As a result, the EU Commission was able to make a decision on its own. 

"To balance those considerations, the Commission will adopt a renewal of the approval of glyphosate for a period significantly shorter than the maximum possible, namely 10 years," the EU Commission said in a statement.

What do we know about glyphosate?

An extensive review by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently found no unacceptable risks, but highlighted data gaps in several areas.

According to the EFSA, the nutritional risks to consumers and the assessment of risks to aquatic plants are among the aspects that have not been conclusively clarified.

The World Health Organization's cancer agency concluded in 2015 that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans, but other agencies around the world, including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Chemicals Agency, have classified glyphosate as non-carcinogenic.

Bayer has said that decades of studies have shown it to be safe, and the chemical has been widely used by farmers for decades.

The available information also did not allow clear conclusions to be drawn on species protection. Glyphosate is known as a total herbicide: it kills all plants it comes into contact with, including grass, shrubs and moss.

It is mainly used in agriculture to keep a field free of weeds before planting crops.

dh/rt (AFP, dpa, Reuters)