The EU’s Risk Assessment Committee has assessed glyphosate’s hazardous properties against criteria in the Classification, Labelling & Packaging Regulation and concluded that its classification should not be changed. This is consistent with the proposal of the four member states currently assessing the substance and RAC’s own 2017 opinion.

Bayer has made a series of agreements that, it said, “will substantially resolve” major outstanding Monsanto litigation at a cost it up to $5 billion in 2020, the same in 2021 and any more outstanding amounts in 2022. These have been unanimously approved by its board.

Most significantly, the company will pay $8.8-9.6 billion to resolve about 75% of the ongoing litigation related to the Roundup brand of glyphosate under a series of agreements. These contain no admission of liability or wrongdoing.