On Tuesday 4 November, the European Parliament’s environment and agriculture committees adopted a draft own-initiative report advocating measures to speed up the registration of biological control agents (biocontrol) in the European Union. MEPs hope that concrete proposals will be put forward in the (omnibus) simplification package on food safety.
By adopting (97 votes in favour, 8 against and 2 abstentions) the draft report by Alexander Bernhuber (EPP, Austrian) and Anna Strolenberg (Greens/EFA, Dutch) on biopesticides, MEPs are attempting to meet a dual objective: to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides while guaranteeing farmers effective and accessible solutions to protect their crops.
Biological control agents (plant extracts, micro-organisms, pheromones and other low-risk products) are currently subject to the same authorisation procedures as chemical pesticides, despite their radically different risk profiles. This results in approval times of up to 10 to 15 years.
The parliamentary committees suggest that the concept of biocontrol agent should be clearly defined at European level in order to distinguish these solutions from conventional plant protection products.
MEPs are calling for the introduction of fast-track authorisation procedures for low-risk products, accompanied by proportionate and targeted scientific assessments, and for the harmonisation of procedures between Member States, with automatic mutual recognition to avoid administrative duplication.
They also call on the Commission to consider extending to 25 years the maximum duration of first approval and renewal of biocontrol active substances, and to keep an up-to-date European list of biocontrol products likely to benefit from such an extension, depending on their profile, nature and mode of action. This list would be updated regularly in response to scientific data.
The Commission has been asked to draw up a ‘roadmap’ towards automatic mutual recognition of biocontrol products, and to allow a single dossier to be submitted for the same product in several Member States simultaneously.
It is also encouraged to consider the creation of a single EU-wide authorisation zone, ensuring harmonised scientific and safety standards throughout the Union. The plenary of the European Parliament is due to vote on this draft report at its session from 24 to 27 November.
Link to the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/jaj (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)