Brussels, 15/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 15 April, the Standing Committee on plants, animals, food and feed (PAFF) decided not to renew the marketing authorisation for amitrole and isoproturon. In the implementing regulation 2015/408, these two herbicides were identified as “candidates for substitution”.
The decision is based on two implementing regulations previously proposed by the European Commission. It was taken by the PAFF committee, which is made up of national representatives, in line with Regulation 1107/2009 for the marketing of phyto-pharmaceutical products. The organisation PAN-Europe, which promotes alternatives to pesticides, welcomed this decision, whilst drawing attention to the fact that many other dangerous substances continue to be authorised. By way of example, it referred to flumioxazin, flupyrsulfuron, pymetrozin and flutianil, four pesticides with devastating effects on health.
The meeting of the Standing Committee on plants, animals, food and feed also provided France with the opportunity to table its request for an EU-wide ban on cherries treated with dimethoate. This substance has been banned in France since February 2016 and the French Minister for agriculture, Stéphane Le Foll, fears that if status quo is maintained at European level (for both European products and those from third countries), this will create a competition distortion. However, no decision appears to have been made at this stage. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)