Today, 11 July 2007 the Court of first Instance of the European Communities decided to annul the directive authorizing paraquat as an active plant protection substance.

This active substance has been banned in 13 countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Finland. However, in 2003 the European Commission decided to authorize paraquat as an active substance in plant protection products. Sweden, supported by Denmark, Austria, and Finland, brought the European Union commission to court and today the decision was taken in favor of Sweden. In the court decision it says "The Commission's handling of the file does not satisfy the applicable procedural requirements and the directive fails to satisfy the requirement of protection of human and animal health". 

- This is an important decision, since it states that directive 2003/11 fails to satisfy the requirement of protection of human health, says Anne-Sofie Andersson, Director of the International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec)

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Court decision