Joint open letter: Publication of the revision of the legislation on the sustainable use of pesticides (SUD)
More than 60 health and environment groups have written to EU Commission President von der Leyen, Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioners Kyriakides, Wojciechowski and Sinkevicius to not postpone the much…
Infographic: Europe needs to ban glyphosate to protect farmers, our health and the environment
Glyphosate is the most widely-used pesticide in the world, despite its well-documented negative health impacts. A new infographic from HEAL explains why the EU must ban glyphosate without delay.
Joint statement: The EU Commission must do better to transition away from synthetic pesticides
70+ organisations have published ten demands to be urgently taken on board by the EU Commission for the revision of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive.
Letter: 79 organisations call for better data on pesticides to better protect people and the environment
Thousands of tonnes of pesticides are sold in the EU every year, yet we do not know which ones are used where and in what quantities. 70+ organisations are voicing their concerns on the EU reform of pesticides statistics.
European Parliament recognises the European Green Deal as a significant contributing factor to cancer prevention in Europe
The European Parliament has adopted its non-legislative report responding to the publication of the EU Commission 2021 communication on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, recognising the EU Green Deal is a key tool to limit people’s exposure to pollution and prevent cancer.
Briefing: HEAL’s response to the public consultations on the EU’s initial assessment of glyphosate
This briefing outlines HEAL's response to two public consultations on the EU's initial assessment of glyphosate, and lists our key concerns about the EU assessment report on the toxicity of the pesticide.
HEAL urges MEPs to put spotlight on environmental health at EU French Presidency exchange
The European Parliament will hold an exchange with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the programme of activities of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU (January - June 2022) on 19 January 2022. At the onset of the third year of Covid-19 pandemic, HEAL underlines how this exchange is a major opportunity for MEPs to demand urgent, non-ambiguous and much needed EU action to address environmental pollution, which affects everyone’s health in our society, starting with the most vulnerable.
Restriction on harmful chemicals in single-use diapers: an opportunity to protect children’s health that Europe is on the verge of missing
Single-use diapers are a familiar product for most families. But unfortunately, nappies can contain a range of chemicals that can harm human health. A restriction on such substances is an opportunity to protect health that might never see the light of day.
Glyphosate: EU toxicity assessment report still fails to address health risks of world’s most-used pesticide
A review of the EU assessment report from the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) on the toxicity of the popular pesticide glyphosate confirms that the evaluation is still mostly based on studies and arguments provided by the chemical industry.
Glyphosate: Health and cancer groups ask France to publicly clarify contradictory position regarding the health effects of the world’s top-selling herbicide
Is France making a dangerous U-turn on its position on glyphosate? In an open letter published today, HEAL, the Association of European Cancer Leagues and La Ligue contre le Cancer urge the French government to publicly clarify its position regarding the health risks posed by the substance.
New video explains why Europe needs to stop health-harming pesticide trade
A new video published today by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), with support from HEAL, PAN Europe, PAN Germany, Public Eye, Global 2000 and foodwatch, explains how harmful pesticides that are banned in the EU are still being produced and exported to other parts of the world.
Glyphosate: 41 health and environment groups urge EU Commission to put an end to use of unreliable industry studies
41 civil society organisations, including several of the organisers of the successful European Citizens’ Initiative #StopGlyphosate, urge EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides to guarantee that the ongoing assessment of glyphosate is based on updated independent scientific evidence and remains free from vested interests.
A tale of disruption: looking back at one decade of Europe’s (unkept) promises to address endocrine disrupting pesticides
By using the example of the ongoing assessments of five substances that have long been suspected to disrupt our thyroid function, HEAL's Natacha Cingotti and Angeliki Lyssimachou illustrate the extremely slow pace of and the related weakness in the implementation of Europe’s promises to protect people, animals and wildlife from effects associated to exposure to endocrine disruptors.
Revealed: EU Glyphosate assessment was based on flawed science
A new scientific analysis concludes that the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) claim that glyphosate is not genotoxic cannot be justified on the basis of manufacturers’ studies. Of the 53 industry-funded studies used for the EU’s current authorization of glyphosate, 34 were identified as "not reliable", 17 as "partly reliable" and only 2 studies as "reliable" from a methodological point of view.
Ominous first step in EU renewal process of glyphosate: 4 member states suggest no risk for human health – HEAL comment
Today four EU member states (France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden) released a statement proposing that glyphosate does not pose risks for human health. HEAL is concerned at such a conclusion, which is in contradiction to the scientific evidence of the association between exposure to the popular pesticide and the development of cancer.
