After several failed attempts to find an agreement on the Commission's overhaul of the bloc's pesticides legislation, EU agriculture ministers reached a political agreement on a compromise text put forward by the Slovenian Presidency on 23 June 2008.
The compromise text was strongly backed in particular by the French, Italian and Czech delegations, while the UK was the strongest opponent, supported by Ireland, Romania and Hungary.
Ministers had so far failed to agree on the core elements of the proposal, namely a positive list of active substances establishing criteria for the approval of substances and a compulsory mutual recognition scheme for authorisations. They also remained divided over the so-called 'cut-off criteria' introducing a market ban on a wide range of 'active' substances that pose potentially severe risks to humans and the environment (EurActiv 13/07/06). The Parliament voted to support the Commission's proposal in October 2007 (EurActiv 24/10/07).
The political agreement reached by ministers paves the way for legislation that will "totally prohibit the marketing and use of substances proven to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction". However, "in exceptional cases", if available products are not effective enough to protect plants, other hazardous substances may be used "under strictly regulated conditions" for a maximum period of five years.
The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) said it was "disillusioned and frustrated" by the Council agreement and reiterated that the agreement will have a major negative impact on the production of many key crops in Europe and that it meant "more expensive and more imported food". Some farmer groups have also underlined that bans of some pesticides would be detrimental to the EU's food supply (EurActiv 05/02/08).
For the environmental NGO Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe), the deal represents "a landmark in European health policy" and means some of Europe's most hazardous pesticides will be removed from food products grown in the EU. The creation of "an EU-wide blacklist" on pesticides brings European legislation into line with supermarkets such as Marks & Spencer or Tesco, which already have their own black lists, said Elliott Cannell, the coordinator of PAN Europe.
However, the NGO deplored that "last-minute escape clauses" had been introduced into the text to allow the use of some hazardous pesticides where alternative pest management strategies are deemed unavailable.
Following the political agreement, ministers should adopt a common position on the text in autumn 2008, so that it can be transmitted to the Parliament for its second reading.
