The environment committee of the European Parliament has voted in favour of a “drastic” cut in the use of pesticides, calling for use to be halved over the next six years.
The committee met this morning (Tuesday, October 24), with its MEPs voting by 47 votes to 37 (with two abstentions) in favour of reducing pesticide use in the EU by at least 50% by 2030.
As well as that, the committee is also calling for a reduction of 65% for “more hazardous products” (for example, pesticides containing non-approved substances used via time-limited, nationally approved emergency authorisations).
The target for more hazardous products is higher than what the European Commission proposed when it published its plan for revising the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) for plant protection products (PPP) in June 2022.
The reductions that the environment committee is seeking would be based off the average usage for 2013 to 2017.
Importantly, the proposal from the environment committee would result in an outright ban on the use of pesticides (expect those approved for organic farming and biological control) on “sensitive areas”, which includes Natura 2000 sites.
The committee wants each member state to adopt national targets and strategies, based on the substances sold per year; their hazard level; and the size of the member states’ agricultural area.
Under the committee’s proposals, the commission would then verify whether national targets need to be more ambitious to achieve the 2030 targets.
The committee is also calling on member states to have in place crop-specific rules for at least five crops where a reduction of the use of chemical pesticides “would have the biggest impact”.
Even when pesticides can be used, the environment committee calls on member states to ensure they are used only as a last resort.
The committee also wants the commission to set a 2030 target for increasing sales of low-risk pesticides, and to work to accelerate the authorisation process of low-risk pesticides and biocontrol.
The committee’s proposal goes on to require that the commission examine pesticides used on agri-food products that are imported into the EU and put measures in place to ensure these products meet EU standards.
As well as that, the export from the EU of pesticides that are not approved for use in the EU would be prohibited.
The full European Parliament is set to adopt its position on the revision of the SUR in late November, after which negotiations will begin with member states on the final shape of the regulation.
The revision of the SUR has caused concern for Copa Cogeca, the umbrella group of EU farm organisations, who had called on the environment committee to follow the example of the agriculture committee and take a “balanced” approach on pesticides.