BRUSSELS, July 6 Reuters The European Food Safety Agency EFSA said on Thursday it had not identified critical areas of concern to prevent renewed approval in the European Union for glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer39;s Roundup weed killer.

EU approval for the chemical that has been widely used by farmers for decades is to expire at the end of the year and the EFSA view on its impact on humans, animals and the environment is a key part of the process of deciding whether to renew it.

Glyphosate has been a focus of controversy since the World Health Organization39;s cancer agency IARC concluded in 2015 that it was probably carcinogenic to humans. Bayer has said decades of studies have shown that glyphosate is safe for human use.

The European Commission will determine whether to propose renewing approval for glyphosate based on the EFSA conclusion and a report from a group of four EU countries. EU members will subsequently vote on the Commission proposal.

Bayer said it welcomed the EFSA39;s conclusion and that it laid the basis for successful EU reapproval of glyphosate.

The German group acquired Roundup as part of its 63 billion purchase of U.S. agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018 and has since spent billions of dollars to settle a series of U.S. lawsuits claiming it caused cancer.

Safe food campaign group foodwatch said IARC39;s assessment that glyphosate was probably carcinogen was still in the air and that, with science unclear, the European Commission…