Press releases
DG Sante and EU Member States keep taking decisions that support the use of harmful pesticides. This is a violation of the EU pesticides legislation, the provisions of which aim to ensure a high level of protection for humans, animals and the environment. To address this maladministration PAN Europe filed 2 requests to the Commission to review its decisions. One concerns the new regulation on the identification of unacceptable co-formulants and the other concerns the Commission practice to keep approving highly toxic pesticides in greenhouses.
"Save Bees and Farmers" appeals for responsibility to ensure our common future of agriculture
Europe could and should be much healthier and biodiverse. Four years ago the PEST Committee in the European Parliament concluded after 9 months of investigations, hearings, missions and commissioning of studies that the current system of pesticides authorisation is failing to achieve its purpose, highlighting the need for urgent change.
Today the European Commission presented their formal reply to the 1,1 million citizens who signed the European Citizens Initiative “Save Bees and Farmers”. They welcome the initiative as a clear sign of broad public support for action for pollinators, biodiversity and sustainable farming. They urge the European Parliament and the Council to find swift and ambitious agreements on the legislative proposals to reduce pesticides and restore biodiversity.
European Citizens' Initiative calls for constructive negotiations
This year the EU will decide on the re-approval of glyphosate[1], the active ingredient of the most popular and controversial weed killer around the world. Exposure to the herbicide not only poses a risk to human health and a variety of living organisms but it also threatens biodiversity and the future of agriculture. European Citizens have already demanded its ban[2].
By law, European citizens have the right to know why highly toxic pesticides are kept on the market, against scientific advice. The EU Commission refuses to respect the law. they did not respond to an Access To Documents (ATD) requests from PAN Europe. We would like to have a better understanding why cypermethrin, a highly hazardous pesticide, was reapproved by the Commission. this despite the negative opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). PAN Europe has decided to bring this transparency issue to the EU Court.
A million-strong petition to ban synthetic pesticides was received by the European Parliament yesterday. Pesticide residues are the highest food safety concern for Europeans, according to recent official polling.
Today, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) published a preliminary ruling on questions posed by the Belgian Administrative Court, following a complaint by PAN Europe, Nature & Progrès Belgium and a Belgian beekeeper. The Court declared that providing derogations for the treatment of seeds with a banned pesticide and their use is not in line with EU law. This ruling shoul put a stop to most derogations given by Member States to banned pesticides.
Pesticides banned by the EU because of harm and danger are still in our food or environment. Many EU countries continue to allow their use. In a new report, PAN Europe exposes the widespread abuse of emergency derogations in the EU.
