Strasbourg, 23/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - In a decisive vote on the legislative package (which is as weighty as its corollary of compromise amendments), the European Parliament on 23 October in Strasbourg gave its green light in a first reading to a strict control of putting pesticides onto the market. It also introduced strict rules, guarantees and their sustainable use in the EU. This serves both public health and environmental protection.
The draft regulation on the marketing of phyto-pharmaceuticals was examined. This aims to update the 1991 directive (report by the German Green MEP Hiltrud Breyer), the EU thematic strategy for the sustainable use of pesticides (own initiative report by Slovak MEP Irena Belhorska (non-attached) and the draft framework directive on the sustainable use of pesticides accompanying it (Christa Klass, German Christian Democrat).
By adopting the Breyer report by a show of hands, MEPs agreed that the active substance making up the essential components of the pesticides, contained in a positive list set up by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continue to be authorised at a European level and which then go to member states to authorise or not the new pesticides contained in these substances.
Following the European Commission proposal, MEPs supported the ban of these carcinogenic, toxic (for reproduction) and geno-toxic substances but went much further in extending this ban to mutagenous, repro-toxic substances that upset the nervous and endocrine systems.
Parliament wants authorisation at a European level to be granted for an initial ten years that can be renewed. MEPs are, on the other hand, rejecting the idea of the European Commission to divide the EU into three geographic zones (north, south and centre) so that a product authorised in a member state in a zone could be legally sold in other countries in the given zone. Instead of this they prefer a single European system but which is flexible and which leaves it up to each country to decide on authorisation.
By adopting the report of Christa Klass (455 votes for, 137 votes against, 21 abstentions), MEPs gave the go-ahead to structure the idea through a directive, the daily use of pesticides (in agriculture, forests, parks, playing fields) and to therefore combine a loophole in current Community legislation, without, however, reducing use of pesticides. The project, supported by the Left, for imposing a 20% reduction on the use of pesticides over ten years was rejected by the “Christian Democrats and their allies”, complained Jan Jorgensen (PES, Denmark). Following the European Commission, parliamentarians approved the ban for the aerial sprays (a harmless practice) and very widely used in forestry and winegrowing, but which contains risks if the pulverised products reach built up zones or ecologically sensitive areas). Exemption to this ban will be included, particularly when an exchange solution is not possible or when pesticides deliberately benefit a spray authority.
Parliament, on the other hand, rejected the idea of making the establishment of “buffer zones” in which the depositing and spraying is banned.
Christa Klass was delighted with the cote, which she said corrected the fundamental direction of the environment committee, “I am delighted that we have defined strict criteria for the authorisation of pesticides. Substances that are proved to be harmful for health cannot be authorised. But a substance that has made it through the difficult authorisation process can sill be used”.
The Green/EFA are pleased overall with the vote which they see as an advance for consumer protection and the environment against toxic pesticides and which, “in the long term strengthen the economic sector” because “substitution of pesticides through safe alternative products encourage the capacity to innovate in the chemical industry”.
This favourable decision does, however, contain a shadow: Parliament has not taken into account he aid of reducing the use of all pesticides, regretted the Greens/EFA. Hiltrud Breyer (German Green) was delighted that MEPs had resisted the siren voices of the chemical industry. (A.N.)