BCPC Conference (June 08) on EU Regulation

based on
PSD 'Impacts' Report

BCPC Monthly News

Jan 09

Votes in the European Parliament on 13 January on the two pieces of EU legislation will make significant changes to the future authorisation (registration) and use of pesticides. The authorisation Regulation in particular will have consequences that will reach far beyond the EU. The restrictions on pesticide use that will be introduced by this new legislation will almost certainly affect food imports from non-EU countries.

The Adopted Texts of the legislation passed by the European Parliament can be viewed on-line here:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+20090113+TOC+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

and are available in a Word document (1 MB) that can be downloaded here:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+20090113+SIT+DOC+WORD+V0//EN&language=EN

"Framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides" starts on page 43.

"Placing of plant protection products on the market" starts on page 70.

These texts will go to the Council of Ministers where their adoption will be a formality, and the legislation will enter into force later this year. The Commission will then begin the process of working out how this legislation is to be implemented. That is likely to involve a great deal of negotiation, especially on the "Authorisation Regulation" which will replace Directive 91/414/EEC. Some will seek to make the outcome as restrictive as possible, implementing the hazard-based approach to pesticide assessment. Others will seek to make minimise the effects through the promotion of a risk-based approach to pesticide assessment wherever possible. Particular attention will be focussed on determining the "cut-off criteria" for those pesticides considered to be "endocrine disruptors". The resultant restrictions will also apply to the use of pesticides on crops grown in non-EU countries for export to the EU, though it is far from clear how this will be enforced as some of the pesticides likely to be affected leave no detectable residues in the produce.

BCPC has been, and remains, opposed to this Authorisation Regulation as presently drafted because it promotes a hazard-based approach to pesticide assessment rather than the current risk-based approach. To adopt a hazard-based approach to authorisation, even in part, is unscientific and illogical, and sets a very dangerous precedent for regulatory legislation in other spheres where there are known hazards and assessable risks. It will also create some anomalies: MRLs for pesticides will still be determined on the basis of risk; azole fungicides used in human medicine will be assessed on the basis of risk while closely related azole fungicides used on crops will be assessed by hazard. It is no exaggeration to say to say that if the criteria in this draft Regulation were applied to coffee, the drinking of coffee would be banned throughout the European Union.

BCPC have also expressed concern that no proper Impact Assessment has been made of the likely consequences of the adoption of the proposals in the present draft Authorisation Regulation - on health, on the environment, or on crop and food production. Some Impact Assessments have been made for some crops in some countries, but no-one has any idea what the overall effect will be on crop production in the EU. BCPC and the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) have referred to the European Ombudsman this failure of the European Commission to ensure that the political decision-makers (European Council and European Parliament) were properly informed of the likely impact before they made their decisions - for details, see:

This complaint is under investigation by the European Ombudsman: Registration number 3363/2008/EC.

Europe to ban key pesticides

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED13%20Jan%202009%2011%3A38%3A58%3A413

European parliament okays new pesticide law

http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=823016&SMap=1

European parliament votes to ban pesticides

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2009/01/13/113778/european-parliament-votes-to-ban-pesticides.html

EU parliament votes by sweeping majority to ban farm pesticides

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/13/eu-pesticides-carrots

EU parliament votes by sweeping majority to ban farm pesticides

http://www.scenta.co.uk/nature/news/cit/1740405/eu-parliament-votes-by-sweeping-majority-to-ban-farm-pesticides.htm

Parliament approves stricter rules on pesticides

http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2009/01/parliament-approves-stricter-rules-on-pesticides/63593.aspx

Toxic pesticides banned in Europe

http://euobserver.com/9/27399

Euro-MPs back new pesticide rules

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5ivtv7U_FViMlOWoCdD3osgKsxLzA

Many pesticides doomed after European vote

http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=23726

Pesticides ban

http://www.fwi.co.uk/community/blogs/juliansblog/archive/2009/01/13/pesticides-ban.aspx

Balance elusive in EU pesticide debate

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/europe/7827477.stm

European Pesticide Vote

http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/01/update-european.html

Water protection gets boost with EU pesticides ban

http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=71237

Food prices will rise after Europe votes to cut pesticides, warn farmers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/food/4227853/Food-prices-will-rise-after-Europe-votes-to-cut-pesticides-warn-farmers.html

European Parliament passes pesticides bill

http://news.findlaw.com/ap/f/1310/01-13-2009/20090113072006_19.html

HTA/CPA Plant Protection Campaign: Concern Over Pesticides Vote

http://www.the-hta.org.uk/press_releases.asp?newyear=2009&newmonth=1&c=3339&m_idno=446&s_idno=447

European Commission welcomes European Parliament's vote on Plant Protection Products Regulation

http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/22970

EU to adopt new pesticide legislation

http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=57356&newscategory=31

22 substances to be banned in pesticides

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0114/1231738222333.html

Pesticide gloom after European parliament backs tough new rules

http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/farming/display.var.2481505.0.Pesticide_gloom_after_European_parliament_backs_tough_new_rules.php

EU pesticides ban 'a threat to Scottish whisky', claims MEP

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/EU-pesticides-ban-39a-threat.4872457.jp

Euro-MPs back tough new pesticide rules

http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=115211

EU Assembly Votes To Ban Toxic Pesticides

http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/01/eu-assembly-votes-to-ban-toxic.html

End of the British carrot?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2009/01/end_of_the_british_carrot.html

EURO MP's Back Pesticide Controls

http://jp-ireland.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!7D84D8D85790AC27!5859.entry

European Parliament passes pesticides bill

http://cquestor.blogspot.com/2009/01/european-parliament-passes-pesticides.html

EU lawmakers restrict pesticide use

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/13/EU_lawmakers_restrict_pesticide_use/UPI-60761231896802/

European Parliament passes pesticides bill

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/13/AR2009011301092.html

EU tightens rules on pesticide use

http://green-pepper.org.uk/health/eu-tightens-rules-on-pesticide-use/

Industry disappointed by pesticides vote

http://www.farmbusiness.cc/cogcms/default.aspx?Page=&Article=3623

Conflict in European vote on pesticides

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/countryside-farming-news/farming-news/2009/01/13/conflict-in-european-vote-on-pesticides-91466-22677011/

NFU disappointed over EU pesticides restrictions

http://www.nfuonline.com/x34273.xml

New EU pesticides vote criticised by Scottish Labour MEPs

http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/euro_mps_speak_out_on_pesticides_laws,2009-01-13

EU pesticides vote "still needs work"

http://www.snp.org/node/14728

The end of carrots and parsnips as we know them?

http://www.kitchenrat.com/2009/01/the-end-of-carrots-and-parsnip.html

The UK Government will not be able to block the so called "pesticides regulation"

http://europeanjournal.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/the-uk-government-will-not-be-able-to-block-the-so-called-pesticides-regulation-which-will-have-a-drastic-impact-on-the.html

EU Pesticide Ban advances through EU parliament

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/environmental_law/2009/01/eu-pesticide-ba.html

EU threatens Africa with sweeping ban on pesticides

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/20/668020

Majority supports pesticide legislation

http://www.agronaplo.hu/hirek/2017

Crunch time for carrots as EU bans pesticides

http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=36650

Pesticides row highlights "green farming" split

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2234068/pesticides-row-highlights-green

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