Glyphosate GB licence renewal could roll over
© Tim Scrivener A temporary extension of the licence for glyphosate use in GB is looking increasingly likely as the clock runs down on the current
approval period, which expires on 15 December 2026.
A 60-day Health and Safety Executive (HSE) consultation launched now would leave little time, potentially pushing a decision into late November or beyond.
However, HSE said it still expects to launch a statutory consultation as part of its renewal assessment.
See also: Glyphosate – pros and cons of another GB licence renewal
An HSE spokesperson confirmed to Farmers Weekly: “We recognise the interest in the renewal of glyphosate and expect to launch a statutory consultation as part of our renewal assessment.”
Nick Mole, from the Pesticide Action Network, which wants to see glyphosate banned, understands officials are considering a one-year extension while the UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement develops, after which GB would align with EU rules on pesticides.
The proposed SPS agreement would introduce dynamic alignment, requiring Great Britain to mirror future EU decisions on active substances and maximum residue limits.
However, negotiations are ongoing and the final details and timing of the agreement have yet to be confirmed. The UK government currently intends for the agreement to take effect in mid-2027.
The Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG), a coalition of companies, including Bayer and Syngenta, seeking the renewal of glyphosate approval in Great Britain, said it expected the renewal process to be completed.
“We remain confident in the science underpinning the safe use of glyphosate for farmers, land managers, consumers and the environment,” said a GRG spokesperson.
“Any procedural extension would give HSE the time needed to complete a full and transparent assessment.”
The spokesperson added: “We are looking forward to engaging with the consultation process when it formally opens.”
Essential tool
The GRG says glyphosate is essential to regenerative farming systems because it enables weed control with less soil disturbance and can support lower-emission farming systems.
HSE’s renewal assessment is considering whether glyphosate continues to meet the approval criteria for active substances in Great Britain, including potential risks to human health and the environment. The outcome of that assessment, and the timing of any decision, remain uncertain.
Northern Ireland is not included in the GB review and will continue to follow EU pesticide regulations under post-Brexit arrangements, where glyphosate is renewed in the bloc until 2033.