Sweden defiant over banned pesticides

Sweden has launched a challenge to the European Union (EU) chemicals policy by declaring it will use any means possible, including going to court, to block marketing on its territory of EU-approved pesticides that are currently banned under national law.

As part of an ongoing review of around 800 existing pesticides under the 1991 plant protection products directive, the EU is gradually building a ‘positive list’ of active ingredients that will be marketable in any EU country. Of the 27 so far agreed, three are banned in Sweden.
    The three pesticides were put on the approved list after being proposed by the Commission. Despite Swedish opposition, each was backed by a qualified majority of states during voting in the EU’s standing committee on plant health. More proposals are to be voted on next month.
    In all, there are 87 substances being considered in the first wave of the pesticides review, most of which are expected to get the EU green light. In Sweden, 24 are banned and a further eight severely restricted.
    Belgium has made pesticide policy a priority in its presidency and next month’s environment council will adopt a resolution on the subject. 
    For more details of pesticide use reduction issues in Sweden, see pages 10-11. 

Environment Daily 1108, 22 November 2001 http://www.environmentdaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=10922

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 54, December 2001, page 18]