New pesticide regulations, which have been adopted by the European Commission today (Thursday, February 2), will see the residue limits left in food by these substances restricted.
When they come into force, the regulations will lower the permissible maximum residue levels (MRLs) of the pesticides clothianidin and thiamethoxam, which belong to the neonicotinoid group of insecticides.
The MRL for these substances will be reduced to the lowest level that can be detected by pesticide measuring technologies, with this requirement applying to all products produced in the EU, as well as imported food and feed products.
In relation to imported produce, the rules will not come into effect until 2026, so that countries have enough time to adapt their practices to be in compliance.
According to the commission, both clothianidin and thiamethoxam pose a high risk to bees and have contributed to the global decline of pollinators. This led to a ban on the use of them in outdoor settings within the EU in 2018.
“When it comes to the use and risk of pesticides, we have always been clear about our commitment to protect the health of our citizens and environment,” said Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides.
“Today’s actions, also affecting imported food, build on our decision in 2018 to ban outdoor use for these two neonicotinoids within the EU, as for the first time, pesticide maximum residue levels will be lowered to address pollinator decline and protect our environment.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment in the Farm to Fork strategy’s ambitions of moving towards sustainable food systems and protecting pollinators,” she added.
The commission outlined a number of goals in both the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy to take environmental aspects into account when assessing requests for import tolerances for pesticide substances no longer approved in the EU, while respecting World Trade Association (WTO) standards and obligations.
Neonicotinoid regulations
Neonicotinoids are a group of five insecticides which are chemically similar to nicotine.
The first of the group was approved for use in the EU in 2005, before approval for the remaining substances was granted in 2013.
However, it was subsequently discovered that the substances are systemic pesticides and rather than remaining on the surface of the treated parts of the plant, they are taken up by it and transported throughout the leaves, flowers, roots and stems, as well as through the pollen and nectar.
As a result, these neonics are highly toxic to invertebrates, affecting their central nervous system and leading to paralysis.
Various restrictions on the use of the chemicals within the European food production system have been debated and implemented by the EU Commission since 2013.