Brussels, 29/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 1 December 2013, the partial two-year moratorium will take effect on the three most dangerous bee-killing neonicotinoid insecticides (thiamethoxam, imidacloprid and clothianidin). The moratorium was decided by the Commission in April this year on the basis of the scientific opinion delivered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In January, EFSA recognised that the pesticides had proven harmful effects on bees.
Greenpeace, which supports a total ban, points out that the moratorium is a first step, albeit an insufficient step, as it ignores other pesticides, such as chlorpyriphos, cypermethrin and deltamethrin, which are also dangerous for the health of bees. Environmental NGOs consider that the Commission should have fully banned the use and sale of the three neonicotinoid pesticides in question - and of all the neonicotinoids - in order to protect all pollinators and the environment, and to thus correctly implement EFSA's opinion. The Swiss agri-chemical group Syngenta and the German group Bayer have initiated court action against the Commission's decision (see EUROPE 10909). (AN/transl.jl)