Despite severe warnings from scientists and civil society, on Tuesday 16 December the European Commission confirmed its proposal to introduce unlimited approvals for certain pesticides, according to a number of NGOs, including PAN Europe.
This organisation is denouncing a “significant weakening” of legislation on pesticides (see EUROPE 13774/15).
A draft text leaked at the end of November showed that the Commission was considering unlimited approvals for up to 90% of approved active substances. The Commission has taken a step backwards by proposing a targeted re-evaluation for substances presenting uncertainties or data gaps in their risk assessment, notes the NGO.
In addition, the Commission would be obliged to identify the active substances or groups of active substances benefiting from an unlimited approval period, for which a renewal procedure will have to be carried out, whereas this remained optional in the previous version of the draft, notes the NGO.
“Removing the systematic re-approval of conventional pesticides is a red line. We know from past reviews that new scientific evidence emerges over time, like we have seen with persistent chemicals like PFASs. Without re-approval, harmful substances will stay on the market too long”, adds Anna Strolenberg MEP (Greens/EFA, Dutch).
Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA, Austrian) felt that the Commission was “abandoning the precautionary principle”, allowing “Bayer, BASF and others to collect billions” of euros. In his view, the regular re-approval of pesticides “every 10 to 15 years is essential to reassess the risks to human health and environmental damage”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)