Tuesday 7 May 2013

Secret Bid to Kill Ban on Bee-Harming Pesticides

One of the notable details of Monday’s landmark ruling to ban the use of some neonicotinoid pesticides across the European Union was Germany’s vote in favour. Germany hosts chemical giant Bayer, which makes the most widely used neonicotinoid, but switched from its previous abstention.
This move was entirely in line with the eco-friendly words of the spokesman for German agriculture minister, Ilse Aigner, on the Friday before the vote: “The accusation that Germany is blocking the protection of bees is completely absurd and baseless.”
However, I have obtained documents that reveal a very different line was being taken in secret by German officials. On the same Friday, it submitted a new text, for the proposed suspension with this clause added:
Member States should be allowed to refrain from withdrawal if it is shown by evidence based on the current state of scientific knowledge and technology that the risk of exposure of bees and other pollinators to these substances is negligible

full article here

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