The Glyphosate Saga, A Further but Not a Final Step: The CJEU Confirms the Validity of the Regulation on Plant Protection Products in Light of the Precautionary Principle

Glyphosate is an active substance used for the production of a plant protection product. Developed by Monsanto in the 1970s under the name “Roundup”, glyphosate is now the most widely used herbicide for both professional and personal use.1 In December 2017, the European Commission extended its marketing authorisation, which was about to expire, for a period of five years.2 This renewal is highly controversial because of the potential carcinogenic effect of glyphosate, which is intensely debated in the scientific community. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, a body of the World Health Organisation) classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic”.3 Yet, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)4 and the European