SOS progress

The crazy news surrounding Mercosur has overshadowed the announcement, in mid-December, of a mind-blowing project from the European Commission: simplifying the authorization system for active substances used in agriculture.

Since 2009, they must in fact pass an examination every ten to fifteen years to prove that they can be used without harm to the environment and human health. Too costly for the chemical industry and too burdensome for European and national administrations, the commission estimated. His solution? Authorize pesticides without time limit. Well let’s see!

Why didn’t you think of it before? Apart from a few cases, no more reviews based on the latest scientific data. Substances that disrupt the endocrine system or increase the risk of cancer could then operate in peace. Not to mention the disastrous impact on birds, as a new study has just confirmed. This legislative proposal must go before the European Council and Parliament, where citizens have their role to play. It questions our difficulty in thinking about progress. If this word still has a meaning, is it in maintaining a system that is running out of steam? Or rather in the search for a new agricultural world? The one who will be able, in a context of climate change, to reconcile food production with a better life for farmers and better health for all.