For centuries, pesticides have been used to protect crops from various types of pests, including insects and fungi, to ensure food safety. The substances employed have varied from sulfur and arsenic compounds to the organic and inorganic chemicals or synthetically produced microbial agents used today. While these pesticides have proven to be effective in boosting crop productivity, using certain types can pose an environmental threat if their application contaminates water, soil, and even the crops themselves.
Therefore, from a regulatory standpoint, European institutions deemed it necessary to implement EU-wide standards to mitigate pesticide risks and ensure their sustainable use. As a result, a set of standards specifically related to their application and commercialization within the European Union were adopted in 2005 and 2009.
The European Commission’s unfavorable evaluation of Directive 2009/128, which established a framework for the sustainable use of pesticides, determined that the directive did not meet its objectives and that its implementation by Member States was unsatisfactory. As a result of this evaluation, a proposal for regulating sustainable pesticide use was put forward in June 2022. The primary goal of this proposal is to mitigate the risks and harmful effects of pesticides on the environment, biodiversity, and consumer health. The proposal is part of the European Union’s overarching “Farm to Fork” strategy.
The proposal for pesticide regulation was referred to the Committee on Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) as Associated Committees. On February 6, the ENVI Commission’s draft report was published, and a debate took place on March 2, revealing a lack of consensus among the political groups regarding the proposed regulation. It is worth noting that while the Commission’s proposal suggests a 50% reduction in the use of harmful pesticides by 2030, the ENVI draft report, which represents Parliament, increased this percentage to 80%.
In order for the proposed pesticide regulation to be implemented, the draft report must first be approved by both the ENVI and AGRI Committees before being adopted in a parliamentary plenary session. Additionally, the EU Council must adopt its position before engaging in inter-institutional negotiations. As a result, the progress of pesticide regulation toward sustainable use faces several obstacles:
- One of the obstacles facing the progress of pesticide regulation toward sustainable use is the need for more consensus within the ENVI Commission. The proposed changes in the draft report, spearheaded by MEP Sarah Wiener of the Greens, faced strong opposition from conservative groups. Notably, shadow rapporteur Alexander Bernhuber of the European People’s Party criticized the proposed pesticide reduction targets in the draft report as “totally unrealistic.” The European People’s Party has expressed a desire to delay the proposal’s development until a re-evaluation of the proposal and an impact study by the Commission.
- Another obstacle hindering the progress of the pesticide regulation towards sustainable use is the delay in the AGRI Commission’s position. In a letter addressed to European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, AGRI Committee Chairman Norbert Lins expressed the need for supplementary information, including a new impact assessment, before voting on the report. This decision has sparked controversy in both the European Commission and the ENVI Commission, as they accuse the AGRI Commission of intentionally delaying the proposal’s progress.
- In addition to the aforementioned obstacles, there is currently no agreement in the short term within the EU Council. Swedish Minister of Agriculture and current President of the Agriculture Council, Peter Kullgren, stated that there will be no agreement among the Member States’ Ministers of Agriculture during the Swedish Presidency of the Council. The ministers have demanded an additional impact assessment by the Commission before proceeding with an agreement, contributing to the delay.
Despite the delays and obstacles, the tentative timeline calls for a vote on the report by the AGRI Committee on July 18, followed by a plenary session vote in September. The Spanish Presidency of the Council, which starts on July 1, will thus have a crucial role in the next steps towards the regulation’s final adoption.
