The NGO PAN Europe announced on Thursday 7 July that it has submitted a formal complaint with the European Court of Justice challenging the 6th extension of the EU authorisation for the pesticide Dimoxystrobin, one of the most toxic pesticides, that should have been banned years ago.
By taking the case to court, PAN Europe intends to challenge the European Commission’s practice of granting consecutive multi-year extensions to dangerous pesticides without any proper re-evaluation, the NGO said.
“The EU law is clear: a decision on the re-approval of dimoxystrobin should have been taken by 2016. It is one of the most hazardous pesticides in the EU: classified as likely carcinogenic and toxic to reproduction, as well as persistent in the environment”.
“DG Health [Commission Health Services: Ed.] keeps prolonging it, for six years now, against the rules, and despite conclusions published in 2017 by the ‘Rapporteur Member State’ that this substance should not be re-approved”, comments Hans Muilerman, an expert from the NGO.
PAN Europe is critical of the fact that this extension practice (Article 17 of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 governing the authorisation procedure for pesticides) is becoming the rule rather than the exception.
In 2021, for example, 136 pesticides were extended under Article 17 (almost 30% of all pesticides currently authorised in the EU), compared to only 10 non-renewal decisions. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)