Why glyphosate's licence is fought over in Europe What this tab covers How it is regulated and what could disrupt supply: hazard classification, rules in the EU, US and India, anti-dumping duties and other trade measures, and supply-risk notes.
Hazards
Classification
UN number
Key risks
varies; glyphosate: serious eye damage cat 1, aquatic chronic 2; paraquat: acute toxicity cat 2 (fatal if inhaled or swallowed)
UN3077/UN3082 for most; UN2781 paraquat solids
Paraquat causes many poisonings and suicides in South Asia. IARC classed glyphosate as probably carcinogenic (group 2A) in 2015, which drives US litigation; regulators in the EU and US did not find it carcinogenic.
Main rules
Where
Rule
Effect
EU
Regulation (EC) 1107/2009; glyphosate renewed to December 2033 (Nov 2023)
hazard-based cut-offs remove older actives; long registration timelines
US
FIFRA registration by EPA; Endangered Species Act reviews; state-level dicamba and paraquat actions
label changes and litigation drive product choice
Brazil
Pesticide law 14,785 (Dec 2023) moved lead authority to the agriculture ministry (indicative)
faster generic registrations in the largest market
China
Pesticide management regulations; paraquat liquid banned domestically since 2016 (indicative)
export-only products and environmental inspections affect supply
India
Rule
Effect
Insecticides Act 1968 and Insecticides Rules 1971; registration by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC)
data requirements and 'me-too' registration of generics
Glyphosate restricted to use by pest control operators (notification of October 2022, indicative)
limits retail sale of glyphosate
Pesticide Management Bill 2020 (pending, indicative)
would replace the 1968 Act
Trade measures
US tariffs on Chinese agrochemicals since 2018-2019 and further US tariff changes in 2025 shifted sourcing towards India (ICRA via Alchempro, 2025, indicative)
Brazil and Argentina import technicals duty-light to keep farm costs low (indicative)
Supply risk
High concentration: China makes most generic technicals and intermediates such as glycine and yellow phosphorus. A Chinese policy shift can triple prices, as in 2021. Not on critical lists, but India's push for technical self-reliance treats it as strategic.