Brussels, 11/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - The assessments of the risks to bees posed by three neonicotinoid pesticides - clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid - a two-year partial moratorium on the use of which has been in place in the EU since 2013, are to be updated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The European Commission has asked EFSA to evaluate the risks associated with the use of these substances as seed treatments and granules. The updated assessments will be completed by January 2017, EFSA announced on Monday 11 January.
They will take into account any new data from studies, research and monitoring that has come to light since the previous assessments were carried out, in particular information submitted to EFSA following a call for data in 2015.
Last year EFSA confirmed that clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid were a risk to bees when used as foliar sprays (see EUROPE 11375). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)