The European Union wants to relax rules for pesticides, saying it will be easier for farmers to adopt more environmentally friendly options. But health and environmental experts say the risks are far too great.

Amid pushback from the European scientific community and countries outside the bloc, EU officials are under pressure to suspend negotiations on a Food and Feed law.

Parliament’s environment and agriculture committees were originally expected to hold a joint vote on a compromise text on 5 October, but shelved that date without proposing another as this article went to publication.

New EU restrictions on toxic substances known as "forever chemicals" in food packaging kicked in Wednesday along with broader rules on cutting packaging waste in the bloc.