08/04/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 8 April, PAN Europe reported that a representative of the European Commission had admitted before the Dutch Parliament that there was no guarantee that the proposal to simplify the rules on pesticides would not compromise the protection of human health and the environment (see EUROPE 13831/14). According to the NGO, these statements contradict the Commission’s initial assertion that the reform would maintain high safety standards. At a hearing on 26 March, Klaus Berend, Director at the Directorate-General for Health, was quoted as saying: “How can I prove something that isn’t there?” He then asked parliamentarians to wait a few years and “trust” the system. PAN Europe sees this as “institutional negligence” for a reform affecting the health of Europeans. PAN Europe also deplored the fact that the Commission had submitted this proposal without an impact assessment, contrary to its legal obligations. (LC)