Criticism for five-year delay on European pesticide assessment

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Pesticides Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) have called on the European Union to reshape its chemicals and pesticides policy in order to ban substances of high concern, set strict deadlines and allow full public participation.

The European Commission has recently issued a report on the 1991 agricultural pesticides Authorisation Directive(1) which recommends that the deadline for an EU-wide review of pesticides should be delayed for five years from 2003 to 2008. This report signals an admission from the Commission that the current system does not work and that it cannot enforce its deadlines.
    The EEB and PAN have criticised the slow, ineffective chemicals and pesticides control process for its lack of clear criteria to identify unacceptable substances, such as those which are persistent or bioaccumulative, and for putting the burden of proof and an enormous workload on the regulators instead of on industry. The existing system encourages industry to submit incomplete data-sets or delay submission.
    'The current EU agriculture policy relies heavily on use of pesticides. Industry knows that this makes it unlikely that deadlines with sanctions will be seriously enforced,' said Dr. Ute Meyer, PAN Europe. 'Therefore it is necessary to have EU-wide pesticides legislation that establishes national pesticides use reduction programmes and minimises agriculture's dependency on pesticides.'
    The evaluation of the active ingredients of pesticides is performed behind closed doors. So far, public interest participation in the process has not been possible. Public pressure and transparent discussions are necessary to improve procedures and decision-making. The EEB and PAN Europe urge the Commission to open up the process now to full NGO participation.
    'A quick, effective chemicals and pesticides control is urgently needed; one which bans persistent or bioaccumulative or toxic substances, sets strict deadlines and allows full public participation.' said Stefan Scheuer, EEB Chemicals Policy Coordinator. 'These are the key issues which must be incorporated by the ongoing review of the chemicals and pesticides policy.'
    The onus has shifted towards the European Parliament where a debate on the Commission's White Paper for a future chemicals policy started on 27 August. It is now up to MEPs to make sure that requirements outlined by EEB and PAN are included in future legislation.

1. DG SANCO 822/2001 rev. 3 from 12.07.2001.

Dr. Ute Meyer, PAN Europe, Tel: + 49 421 2760264, coordinator@pan-europe.net; Stefan Scheuer, EEB, Tel: +32 2 2891304, stefan.scheuer@eeb.org

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 53, September 2001, page 17]