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BIOCIDES' MARKET IN EU
While agricultural pesticides represent 27 billion €, the market
has been stagnant for 10 years. On the other hand, biocides represent
10-11 billion € with market growing at 4-5% per annum for the
last 15 years and predicted to continue expanding during the next
years.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
The Biocides Directive (Directive 98/8/EC on the placing on the
market of biocidal products) provides the framework for biocide
policy in EU. Directive 91/414/EEC on plant protection products,
adopted in 1991, served as a model for the new Directive. The Biocides
Directive Directive aims to harmonise the European market for biocidal
products and their active substances.
According to the Directive, active substances have to be assessed
and the decision on their inclusion into Annex I of the Directive
shall be taken at Community level. Comparative assessment will be
made at the Community level when an active substance, although in
principle acceptable, still causes concern. Inclusion to Annex I
may be denied if there are less harmful, suitable substitutes available
for the same purpose. Member States shall authorise the biocidal
products in accordance with the rules and procedures set in Annex
VI of the Directive. They can only authorise products which contain
active substances included in Annex I. The producers and formulators
responsible for the placing of the market of the biocidal products
and their active substances must apply for authorisation and submit
all necessary studies and other information needed for the assessments
and the decision making. A biocidal product authorised in one Member
State shall be authorised upon application also in other Member
State unless there are specific grounds to derogate from this principle
of mutual recognition.
TYPES OF BIOCIDES
There are many different types of biocides, devided in 4 groups
and 23 product-types:
MAIN GROUP 1: Disinfectants and general biocidal products
Product-type 1: Human hygiene biocidal products
Product-type 2: Private area and public health area disinfectants
and other biocidal products
Product-type 3: Veterinary hygiene biocidal products
Product-type 4: Food and feed area disinfectants
Product-type 5: Drinking water disinfectants
MAIN GROUP 2: Preservatives
Product-type 6: In-can preservatives
Product-type 7: Film preservatives
Product-type 8: Wood preservatives
Product-type 9: Fibre, leather, rubber and polymerised materials
preservatives
Product-type 10: Masonry preservatives
Product-type 11: Preservatives for liquid-cooling and processing
systems
Product-type 12: Slimicides
Product-type 13: Metalworking-fluid preservatives
MAIN GROUP 3: Pest control
Product-type 14: Rodenticides
Product-type 15: Avicides
Product-type 16: Molluscicides
Product-type 17: Piscicides
Product-type 18: Insecticides, acaricides and products to control
other arthropods
Product-type 19: Repellents and attractants
MAIN GROUP 4: Other biocidal products
Product-type 20: Preservatives for food or feedstocks
Product-type 21: Antifouling products
Product-type 22: Embalming and taxidermist fluids
Product-type 23: Control of other vertebrates
IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW
The first phase of the review program was established in 2000 and
determined that producers and formulators had to either identify
or notify all existing active substances to the European Chemicals
Bureau before 28 March 2002. This deadline was later extended to
January 2003, with active substances used in rodenticides or in
wood preservatives being assessed first.
The second phase of the review program was established by the Commission
Regulation (EC) 2032/2003 and contained: the list of identified
existing active substances; the list of notified existing active
substances; phase-out periods; the prioritisation of the product
types in the review program; the allocation of the Rapporteur Member
States for the substances; details on the submission of the dossier,
the evaluation and the corresponding procedures.
This Regulation has been amended by Commission Regulation (EC)
1048/2005. This so-called third Review Regulation introduced several
amendments, including the concept of essential use and the extension
of the deadline for certain substances to 2006.
Table - Evaluation process priority list according
to hazard
| List |
Biocides |
Dossier submission |
Dossier available for public consultation and
comments |
| 1 |
wood preservative (8)
rodenticides (14) |
28 March 2004 |
From Jun 2005 |
| 2 |
insecticides and acaricides (18)
repellents and attractants (19)
molluscicides (16)
antifoulings (21) |
30 April 2006 |
From Jul 2007 |
| 3 |
human hygiene products (1)
veterinaty hygiene biocides (3)
private and public health care biocides (2)
feed and food disinfectants (4)
drinking water disinfectants (5)
metalworking fluid preservatives (13)
in-can preservatives (6) |
31 July 2007 |
From October 2008 |
| 4 |
preservatives for films (7)
fibre, rubber and polymerised material preservatives (20)
liquid cooling/processing systems preservatives (11)
embalming and taxidermy fluids (22)
slimicides (12)
avicides (15)
piscicides (17)
other vertebrate control (23) |
31 October 2008 |
From January 2010 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
In accordance with Article 12 of Regulation (EC) 2032/2003, the
competent authority reports concerning the evaluation of active
substances in the review programme shall be made publicly available
by electronic means, except for information that is to be treated
as confidential. The links further down on this page will contain
the reports as they become available. Comments can be submitted,
preferably within 3 months from the date of publication of the reports,
to the following address:
European Commission
Directorate-General Environment
Unit B-4, Office Bu-5, 2-151
B-1049 Brussels
Or by e-mail to: ENV-Biocides@cec.eu.int
http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/env/bio_reports/library
LINKS
European Commission http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/biocides/index.htm
European Chemicals Bureau http://ecb.jrc.it/biocides/
PAN UK's gardening tips: http://www.pan-uk.org/gardening.htm
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