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The last pesticide committee meeting of 2024 will set the lines for the future of a toxic mix of topics. Among the highlights there is a proposed ban on two PFAS pesticides. Two ‘toxic 12’ pesticides are also on the table for discussion.

In response to the demand of 260 000 citizens for pesticide reduction a meeting took place with representatives of the European Commission.

PAN Europe Urges Immediate Adoption by Member States 

The European Commission is ignoring an EU Parliament veto. Last September 2024, the Parliament took a strong stand by vetoing regulations that allowed residues of three toxic EU-banned pesticides in imported food products.

The EU recently took an important step to lower the permitted levels of the neurotoxic pesticide acetamiprid in our food. A review protocol initiated could lead to a complete ban of this dangerous insecticide. These decisions follow a letter from PAN Europe.

Without realising it, we are crossing a new planetary boundary. A small human-made molecule is increasingly polluting our drinking water on a global scale.

Our drinking water is in danger. Everywhere in Europe, TFA is found in surface and drinking water. Alarmed by our reports, the Belgian region of Wallonia asked the Water Distribution Company to monitor water for this small PFAS.

Important decisions in relation to some toxic pesticides were taken in the recent meeting of the EU pesticide committee SCoPAFF, behind closed doors. Two PFAS pesticides will be banned, but only because the manufacturers retracted the application.

According to the study “Straight to Your Hormones” by our member, Ecologistas en Acción, food sold in Spain in 2022, both imported and state-produced, had residues of 106 pesticides.

On September 17, 2024, Friends of the Earth Hungary in collaboration with PAN Europe, Hand Alliance, and Friends of the Earth Europe organised a conference titled “A Path Towards Resilient EU Agriculture - How to Reduce Pesticide Dependency” in Budapest, hosted by the O