New EU rules on pesticides
Plant protection products are another highly important chemical issue this
year in the EU.
The European Commission proposed last summer a new Thematic Strategy on
the sustainable use of pesticides, which includes a Strategy (COM (2006)372)
a Framework Directive (COM(2006)373) and a Regulation on the placing of
Plant Protection Products (PPPs) on the market (COM(2006)388). The Framework
Directive includes new rules for plant protection products and biocides.
The Directive and the Regulation are closely linked to each other and are
dealt with at the same time in the European Council and Parliament for the
moment.
The Parliament plans to hold the first reading regarding the Thematic Strategy ands Framework Directive on sustainable use of pesticides in June and in September for the Regulation on the placing of PPPS in the market. In the autumn the Council expects to find an agreement.
The strategy should provide a framework to change the current paradigm of pesticide use towards prevention and sustainable use and a pesticide authorisation process that excludes pesticides on the basis of their intrinsic hazard.
The new proposal for a Regulation on the placing of PPPs on the market
replaces Directive 91/414/EEC. The Regulation is the most important legislation
of the legal acts and we would like to highlight three problematic issues
in the proposal:
Firstly, under the current legislation for plant protection products the
European Commission approve active substances in used in plant protection
products and Member states are responsible for authorizing plant protection
products. Under the new proposed Regulation the authorization will continue
to be done by national authorities. However, the draft foresees compulsory
mutual recognition of authorisations amongst Member states within a defined
zone. The Commission proposes three zones; north, Central and South. This
will limit the existing freedom Member States has had to ban pesticides
they have considered are hazardous and for which alternatives exist.
Secondly, another scaring aspect is the suggested approval system in the
law proposal. Under current legislation all active substances have to be
approved every 10 years. However, according to the draft legislation the
re-approval would then apply indefinitely.
Thirdly, the substitution principle is written in a complicated manner,
that will not encourage substitution on a European level.
ChemSec will actively follow the question in the European Parliament and
the Council.
Read more about the EU thematic strategy on pesticides