Brussels, 24/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - The promise has been kept. The temporary ban on three neonicotinoid pesticides - clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam - that have been identified as being harmful to Europe's honeybee population, was decided on Friday 24 May by the European Commission. It will take effect on 1 December this year. Restrictions relating to the use of the three bee-killing pesticides concern the treatment of plants that attract bees and other pollinators. They will be reviewed at the latest within two years.
In order to comply with EU restrictions, member states must withdraw or amend existing authorisations by 30 September 2013, but may authorise the use of existing stocks until 30 November at the latest. It will be up to the relevant national authorities to ensure the restrictions are correctly applied.
“Last month, I pledged that, based on the number of risks identified by the European Food Safety Authority's scientific opinion, I would do my utmost to ensure that our honeybee population is protected. Today's adoption delivers on that pledge and marks another milestone towards ensuring a healthier future for our honeybees, as bees have two important roles to play: not only that of producing honey but primarily to be a pollinator. About 80% of all pollination is due to the activity of bees - this is natural and free of costs”, said Tonio Borg, the European commissioner for health and consumer policy.
The restrictions apply to the use of the three neonicotinoid pesticides for treating seeds, soil application (granules) and foliar treatment on plants and cereals (with the exception of winter cereals), which attract bees. As soon as further information is available, and within two years at the latest, the Commission will review this measure to take into account any developments that have come about in the scientific or technical fields.
Uses of the pesticides is authorised only for professionals. Exceptions will be limited to the possibility of treating bee-attractive crops in greenhouses and in open-air fields only after flowering.
The temporary suspension of the three neonicotinoid pesticides comes further to a scientific opinion published in January by EFSA. As member states failed, on 29 April, to gather the qualified majority required for approving or rejecting the proposal, the Commission had announced that it would itself set in place restrictions for amending its proposal (see EUROPE 10837).
This measure comes within the comprehensive strategy adopted by the Commission in 2010 to combat the decline in Europe's bee population. The strategy has already led to the designation of an EU reference laboratory for bee health, increased EU co-financing for national apiculture programmes, co-financing to carry out surveillance studies in 17 voluntary member states (€3.3 million was allocated to this in 2012), as well as EU research programmes such as BeeDoc and STEP, which look into the multifactorial aspects to which Europe's declining bee population could be attributed. (AN/transl.jl)