New pesticides rules proposed by the European Commission for farmers are set to be rolled back in scope after concerns were voiced by member states.
The sustainable use of pesticides regulation (SUR) was proposed during the summer to tighten the rules currently in place for farmers.
The draft regulation would have banned the use of all herbicide, fungicide and other pesticide sprays on Irish farms by 2024. The Commission told the Irish Farmers Journal that it is willing to take the concerns of EU agriculture ministers on board to find a compromise acceptable to them.
It recognised that reducing pesticide usage is complex and said that it will factor food security into its plans.
“The Commission is open to workable solutions and possible compromises,” the Irish Farmers Journal was told by a spokesperson for Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, who is heading up the regulation.
“In agricultural areas, all approved pesticides used in organics and all approved pesticides used in conventional agriculture, except the more hazardous ones, would be allowed.
“Biocontrol and low-risk pesticides would be allowed in all sensitive areas, consistent with the need to promote those products as safer alternatives to chemical pesticides,” the spokesperson said.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski last week called for an impact assessment to be conducted on the spray proposals before they need approval.
“As Commissioner for Agriculture I think we need a solid impact assessment, solid information of what the consequences will be of the reduced use of pesticides,” Wojciechowski said.
The Commissioner also said that a “fair approach” is needed for each member state’s pesticide reduction target to take account of “different starting points” in spray use.
The eighth European Young Farmers Congress organised by the EPP – the largest MEP grouping in the European Parliament – heard strong opposition to the draft regulation last Wednesday.
Group chair and German MEP Manfred Weber warned that the extent to which pesticides were to be regulated was unacceptable to MEPs and farmers.
“The objective must be food self-sufficiency for Europe,” Weber said, stating that decision-making had become dominated by those who factor only the environment in policymaking.
“This is why we are extremely critical to the new pesticides proposal of the European Commission; they are simply unacceptable in a time when we need to produce more food at lower prices, the Commission proposes legislation that will do exactly the opposite.”
Read more
Rethink on sensitive areas for pesticide proposals
Pesticides ban in 2024 ‘too soon’ - Minister Hackett
Over one million EU citizens sign petition seeking spray ban by 2035
Plan to ban crop and rush sprays by 2024
New pesticides rules proposed by the European Commission for farmers are set to be rolled back in scope after concerns were voiced by member states.
The sustainable use of pesticides regulation (SUR) was proposed during the summer to tighten the rules currently in place for farmers.
The draft regulation would have banned the use of all herbicide, fungicide and other pesticide sprays on Irish farms by 2024. The Commission told the Irish Farmers Journal that it is willing to take the concerns of EU agriculture ministers on board to find a compromise acceptable to them.
It recognised that reducing pesticide usage is complex and said that it will factor food security into its plans.
“The Commission is open to workable solutions and possible compromises,” the Irish Farmers Journal was told by a spokesperson for Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, who is heading up the regulation.
“In agricultural areas, all approved pesticides used in organics and all approved pesticides used in conventional agriculture, except the more hazardous ones, would be allowed.
“Biocontrol and low-risk pesticides would be allowed in all sensitive areas, consistent with the need to promote those products as safer alternatives to chemical pesticides,” the spokesperson said.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski last week called for an impact assessment to be conducted on the spray proposals before they need approval.
“As Commissioner for Agriculture I think we need a solid impact assessment, solid information of what the consequences will be of the reduced use of pesticides,” Wojciechowski said.
The Commissioner also said that a “fair approach” is needed for each member state’s pesticide reduction target to take account of “different starting points” in spray use.
The eighth European Young Farmers Congress organised by the EPP – the largest MEP grouping in the European Parliament – heard strong opposition to the draft regulation last Wednesday.
Group chair and German MEP Manfred Weber warned that the extent to which pesticides were to be regulated was unacceptable to MEPs and farmers.
“The objective must be food self-sufficiency for Europe,” Weber said, stating that decision-making had become dominated by those who factor only the environment in policymaking.
“This is why we are extremely critical to the new pesticides proposal of the European Commission; they are simply unacceptable in a time when we need to produce more food at lower prices, the Commission proposes legislation that will do exactly the opposite.”
Read more
Rethink on sensitive areas for pesticide proposals
Pesticides ban in 2024 ‘too soon’ - Minister Hackett
Over one million EU citizens sign petition seeking spray ban by 2035
Plan to ban crop and rush sprays by 2024
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