G/SPS/GEN/1752  
 
14 November 2019  
(19-7754) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
FLOOR STATEMENTS  
NOVEMBER 2019 WTO SP S COMMITTEE - FORMAL  MEETING  
AGENDA ITEM 4(E)(II): CODEX MRLS FOR GLYPH OSATE  
Communication from the United States of America  
The follow ing communication, received on 12 November  2019, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of  the United States of America . 
 
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1.  The United States again raises concern over actions by Members to restrict the use of glyphosate 
or withdraw glyphosate MRLs without clear scientific justification.  
2.  Scientific an d regulatory authorities worldwide have re -evaluated and reconfirmed the 
authorization status of this crop protection tool, making it not only one of the most widely used, but 
also one of the most rigorously evaluated and regulated.  
3.  Recall that in 2016, th e Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) held a special 
session to re -evaluate glyphosate in response to a hazard assessment from the International Agency 
for Research on Cancer (IARC).  
4.  After reviewing the extensive body of evidence and conduct ing a robust risk assessment, JMPR 
reaffirmed that dietary exposure to glyphosate does not pose a risk to consumers. The Codex 
Alimentarius Commission subsequently reaffirmed all existing glyphosate MRLs.  
5.  In this regard, we recall the mandate given to the Committee in Paragraph 4 of Article 12 of the 
SPS Agreement, to monitor trade impact related to the non -use of international standards, and the 
direction given in G/SPS/11/Rev.1, to look to the severity of the problems caused to the trade in the 
goods cove red by the international standard.  
6.  Despite consistent findings across independent scientific and regulatory bodies, it is clear that 
glyphosate still poses a difficult risk communication challenge. The publication of the IARC report 
and subsequent media at tention has misinformed consumers and contributed to a lack of trust in 
science - and risk -based decision making.  
7.  In August 2019, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance to registrants of 
glyphosate advising them that the US EPA will no  longer approve product labels claiming glyphosate 
is known to cause cancer —a false claim that does not meet the Agency’s statutory label 
requirements, noting that it is critical that federal regulatory agencies relay to consumers accurate, 
science-based i nformation about the risks pesticides pose to them.  
8.  We are deeply concerned that unjustified or disproportionate restrictions on glyphosate will only 
serve to fuel consumer doubts, damage public trust, and undermine the integrity of government 
regulators.  
9.  That is why we call on all Members to continue observance of the Codex MRLs for glyphosate, or 
to establish SPS measures related to glyphosate on the basis of science -based risk assessments.  G/SPS/GEN/1752  
 
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  10.  The World Health Organization has raised concern that IARC could unintentionally undermine 
the rigorous scientific and risk -based underpinning of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. To that 
end, we understand that the WHO Secretariat has been working with IARC to ensure that substances 
which have been evaluated by the Jo int FAO -WHO Expert Committees are not subject to the limited, 
less-robust hazard assessments produced by IARC.  
11.  Given the ongoing challenges surrounding glyphosate, particularly with regard to scientific 
justification, we strongly support efforts by this Co mmittee to reinforce the work of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission and strengthen collective understanding of the scientific foundations of the 
SPS Agreement.  
12.  We further invite Members to consider how this Committee can work to promote greater 
understandin g of the principles of risk analysis, and how objective, science -based standards support 
efficient production and trade of safe, affordable food to meet global demands.  
13.  Chair, we appreciate the discussions in this Committee on actions to improve transparen cy and 
support greater shared understanding of concerns raised in Committee. We will therefore submit 
this statement to the Secretariat and request its issuance as a GEN document.  
 
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