The approval of glyphosate from 2017 to 2022 was initially extended by one year until 2023 to give the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) time to complete its risk assessment and peer review. The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) should also complete its review by then. EFSA and RAC unanimously concluded that there is currently no scientific or legal justification for a ban on glyphosate. However, EFSA identified data gaps in several areas, such as in relation to dietary risks to consumers and in the assessment of risks to aquatic plants and biodiversity. The RAC concluded that the existing classification of glyphosate (causing serious eye damage and toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects) should be retained. Furthermore, the available scientific evidence did not indicate that glyphosate would meet the criteria for hazard classification as specific target organ toxicity, or as a carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic substance. The EFSA accepted this classification.

Accordingly, the approval of glyphosate was extended by the EU Commission until December 15, 2033. The Commission expects that under the conditions of approval and by following good agricultural practices, glyphosate will have no harmful effects on human health or unacceptable effects on the environment. However, the EU Commission can review the approval at any time if scientific findings indicate that the EU approval conditions are no longer met.

In Germany there is no consensus among political parties regarding the use of glyphosate. However, a permanent ban on glyphosate is controversial. Farmers would have to combine different pesticides to achieve a similar effect. A non-chemical alternative would be to remove weeds mechanically, but this would lead to more labor and less yields. Researchers from the University of Gießen estimate that costs may increase by 5–11 % and yields may decrease by 5–10 %.