EU watchdog opens door to new licence for controversial weedkiller

Herbicide can now be approved for relicensing in EU, despite World Health Organisation assessment linking it to cancer in humans

The European Food and Safety Authority (Efsa) has removed barriers to the relicensing of glyphosate, a best-selling herbicide, despite World Health Organisation (WHO) warnings that the substance is "probably carcinogenic to humans".

The ruling opens the door to a new 10-year licence for glyphosate across Europe, although the authority set a threshold for exposure to the substance of of 0.5mg per kg of body weight for the first time.