Chaired by Michael Hamell, Adjunct Professor of Agriculture, University College Dublin

09.00  Welcome - by the co-hosting MEPs Bart Staes, Sirpa Pietikäinen and Karin Kadenbach.

9.50-11.30 The potential of IPM

•  How much does conversion to Integrated Pest Management cost farmers - INRA studies of farmers groups by Bertrand Omon, DEPHY ECOPHYTO –(Chambre d’Agriculture Eure)
• From pesticide addiction to ecologically based Integrated Pest Management by Joop van Lenteren, (IOBC International)
• How far has the EU come in the conversion to IPM Potential and obstacles to the further development of alternatives to pesticides by Karel Bolckmans (IBMA)

Roundtable debate with speakers and: Anne Glover, (Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission.), Francois Veillerette (PAN Europe), David Gee (Former Science/Policy Adviser, EEA), Frank Wijnands (IOBC)

11.30-13.00 Which EU policies promote IPM?

• The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy: a move towards integrated production?  by Alina Ujapan, member of the cabinet of Commissioner Ciolos
• The EU debate on resource efficiency: a move towards integrated production?  by Natalie Pauwels, member of cabinet of Commissioner Potocnik
• How to ensure that Member States meet their IPM targets set in the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive? Michael Flüh,  Head of Unit Pesticides DG SANCO

Roundtable debate with speakers and: José Bové, (MEP), David Baldock (IEEP), Ralf-Udo Ehlers (IBMA)

13.00-14.30 Lunch and exhibition sponsored by IBMA

14.30  What is the Role of Certification Schemes? by David Baldock (IEEP)

15.00-16.30 Highways and Byways towards IPM innovation?

• Are member states engaging in the needed conversion towards IPM?  by Francois Veillerette (PAN Europe)
• How Swiss government and Swiss farmers are engaging in crop rotation by Franz Bigler (IOBC)
• Anticipated Biocontrol regulatory submissions and issues experienced from the IBMA Members Regulatory Survey – by David Cary (IBMA)

Roundtable debate with speakers and Patrizia Pitton, (DG SANCO), Giuseppe Ciotti (Director General Rural Development, Italian Ministry)

16.30-17.45 How are partners engaging in the move towards IPM – agricultural innovations.

• The potential role of biocontrol centres by Margareta Hökeberg (The Swedish Centre for Biological Control, SLU)
• Innovations in practice replacing chemicals in crop protection and influencing IPM goal – by Kenneth Alness (Lantmännen BioAgri AB)
• Chemical company initiatives – by Matthias von Erffa (Bayer Crop Science)

Roundtable debate with speakers and Iman Boot, (DG AGRI, European Commission), Luc Peeters (COPA-COGECA), Henriette Christensen (PAN Europe), Felix Wäckers (IBMA)

17.45 Conclusion: ‘Is there a limit to growth of pesticides?’

18.00 Close

Who are we?  An innovative partnership consisting of:
IOBC/WPRS is an International Organisation of progressive European researchers and other knowledgeable people investigating the use of sustainable, environmentally safe, economically feasible, socially acceptable control methods of pests and diseases of agricultural crops. Therefore IOBC/WPRS encourages collaboration in the development and promotion of Biological and Integrated Pest Management. IOBC/WPRS fosters research and practical application, training and information exchange, especially of all methods including biological control as part of integrated pest management. IOBC/WPRS produces guidelines for integrated production of agricultural crops, collaborates with different stakeholders to develop sustainable agricultural production systems and standardises methods of testing effects of pesticides on beneficial species, with the aim to foster biodiversity and ecological services as a natural resource.

IBMA is the association of biocontrol industries producing solutions: microorganisms, macroorganisms, semiochemicals and natural products for plant protection. Based on long years of intensive research and development, the "Biocontrol industry" is now growing fast and can offer safe and cost- effective solutions to the entire food chain. IBMA was created in 1995 to represent the views of the developing biological control manufacturers, which are mainly SME’s with limited resources, research organisations, extension services, consultants, distributors, contributing to the development of biocontrol and participating in IBMA activities.

PAN Europe is an NGO working to minimise negative effects and replace the use of hazardous chemicals with ecologically sound alternatives.  Our network brings together public health, and environmental organisations and women's groups from across 19 European countries. We work to eliminate dependency on chemical pesticides and to support safe sustainable pest control methods.