The Belgian Presidency of the EU Council hopes to obtain a partial common position from the Member States on the proposal concerning the sustainable use of pesticides before the end of June, according to diplomatic sources interviewed on Friday 19 January.
Since the European Parliament rejected the amended text of the sustainable use of pesticides regulation (SUR) at the end of November, discussions have been on hold in the Council (see EUROPE 13311/11).
The Belgian Presidency of the EU Council hopes to find a way to salvage important parts of the text. The idea would be to find a way of preserving certain elements that could be approved during this legislature, explains a European source. The most sensitive elements of the text may be removed in order to retain rules representing “a new step” in the reduction of pesticides, while allowing “the development of alternative methods”, according to this source.
In a document dated 12 January, the Belgian Presidency submitted a compromise text on integrated pest management (methods of preventing the development of pests and diseases, including low-risk plant protection products). It maintains the possibility for Member States to choose between binding rules or simple ‘guidelines’ on the methods to be applied to the main crops. A Council working group scheduled for 24 January will review Belgium’s proposal. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)