About: pesticide use
EU Commission to crack down on recalcitrant member states over neonicotinoids
The European Commission will trigger a never-before-used option against two member states over the abuse of so-called "emergency authorisations" for neonicotinoids, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis said in a letter sent to NGOs dated 19 February and seen by EURACTIV.
Europe’s anti-rationalist future?
European restrictions on gene editing, GMOs and pesticides bans risk undermining scientific progress and innovation if they are not reversed, argues Sir Colin Berry.
Civil society questions Europe’s ‘perfect’ pesticide authorisation system
No pesticide should be authorised if it is found to have harmful effects on humans, animals, the environment, and the ecosystem, the new coalition “Citizens for Science in Pesticide Regulation” said in a manifesto launched on Wednesday (31 October).
Europe needs more time to re-approve copper pesticide
Negotiations on the re-approval of copper compounds, which are due to be gradually phased out, are still ongoing. The European Commission is expected to present a new proposal to EU member states next month, at a meeting that was not originally scheduled.
EFSA re-confirms toxicity of organic pesticide, exposes PEST Committee boss
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released fresh data, which re-confirm the toxicity of copper compounds, pesticides that are used in organic farming.
Brazilian court overturns injunction prohibiting use of glyphosate
Brazilian farmers will continue to have access to the world’s most used weed killer after Brazil’s Federal judge reversed a previous ruling, which had suspended the existing and new registration of glyphosate-based products.
Phasing out pesticides is the chance for Europe to heal its environment and economy
The recent re-authorisation of glyphosate controversy highlighted the many issues surrounding pesticides, their purpose and our dependency on them, as well as the harm they bring to our health and the environment, writes Natacha Cingotti.
Environmentalists clash with EFSA over neonicotinoids ban ‘exceptions’
Environmental NGOs have questioned the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) scientific capacity to grant EU member states emergency authorisations for neonicotinoids, whose usage was recently banned.
Europol: Massive seizure of fake pesticides which could spray the size of the UK
Europol’s annual Operation SILVER AXE III seized the largest-ever amount of illegal or counterfeit pesticides in Europe this week. But the fact that such massive amounts of illegal pesticides are available has raised concerns about both the economic and health costs.
PEST committee boss insists on toxic pesticide to protect organic winemakers
We should stop focusing on economy over health when it comes to pesticides, said MEP Eric Andrieu, the president of the PEST committee in the European Parliament. But in the case of toxic copper, he urged member states to keep in mind that the viability of organic winery is at stake and that alternatives to copper are very limited.
EP’s pesticides committee chief ‘silent’ over toxic organic agent
The head of the European Parliament's pesticides committee has warned the European Commission about the possible impact on organic wine-growing if the use of copper, a toxic substance according to EFSA and ECHA, is outlawed.
Corteva boss: ‘Mother Nature’ changes the game quickly and demands new agricultural tools
“Mother Nature” is changing quickly and this requires the adoption of technology-driven solutions that will help both growers and consumers, Jim Collins, the chief operating officer of Corteva Agriscience, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, told EURACTIV.
Invoking science, Europe shuts the door to neonics
The European Commission decided on Friday (27 April) to impose a complete ban on neonicotinoids, after managing to achieve the necessary qualified majority among EU member states.
Andriukaitis: Neonics case proves Commission is ‘consistent’ with science
No one can blame the European Commission of being in the hands of industry lobbies, as in both the glyphosate and neonicotinoids cases, it made “consistent” decisions, EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told EURACTIV.com.
Farmers hail new transparency rules in food safety, still want science-based decisions
EU farmers have welcomed the European Commission’s new rules on transparency in food safety assessments. However, it is still uncertain to which extent this will ensure that future decisions will actually be based on science.
Pressure mounts on Commission to put neonics ban to a vote
EU lawmakers have urged the European Commission to convince member states to back its proposal to ban neonicotinoids and avoid further delays that will be harmful to bees and the environment.
Greenpeace: Commission and member states playing ‘hide and seek’ on neonics ban
The European Commission is playing hide and seek with member states regarding a ban on neonicotinoids, and this benefits pesticide manufacturers who keep on killing bees and the environment, Greenpeace claims.
EU agencies accused of cherry-picking evidence in glyphosate assessment
Lawyers on the “Monsanto papers” case accused the EU agencies responsible for food safety and chemicals of “wilfully sawing off certain studies” in their risk assessment of glyphosate.
Commission readies further restrictions to neonicotinoids
The European Commission plans to propose further restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, an EU official told EURACTIV on Wednesday (20 September), amid a continuing tug of war between environmental groups and pesticide producers.
Egg crisis: Fipronil traces found in eggs from 2016
Belgian authorities have discovered a Fipronil-contaminated egg sample dating from September 2016, the head of the Belgian food security agency announced in parliament on Thursday (17 August). EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
France tables EU-wide non-agricultural pesticide ban
The senator behind France’s ban on pesticides for domestic use has submitted a draft European resolution calling on the EU to follow the French example and implement a full ban on the non-agricultural use of pesticides. EURACTIV France reports.
Commission: Technology will make farming more transparent to consumers
Technologies can enhance “transparent farming” and, as a result, better inform European consumers about the food they eat, a European Commission spokesperson told EURACTIV.com.
Glyphosate is not carcinogenic, EU agency says
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) said today (15 March) that much-discussed glyphosate weedkiller should not be classified as a carcinogen, triggering a strong response from environmentalist NGOs.