EU Member States have voted last week for the re-approval of flumioxazin and cypermethrin, two endocrine disrupting and bee-toxic pesticides. This re-approval is in total contradiction with the European Green Deal that reinforced the precautionary principle, biodiversity protection, and the will of the Commission to phase out endocrine disruptors. PAN Europe considers going to court.
Salomé Roynel, campaigner at PAN Europe said: “Both pesticides are documented in the scientific literature for their endocrine disrupting properties. Furthermore, flumioxazin was even classified as being “toxic to reproduction category 1B” in the past. Endocrine disruption and reprotoxicity are, according to the law, criteria for a ban, there should be no discussion!”
PAN Europe and its members across the EU have been advocating for months for a non-renewal to protect people’s health and the environment[1].
Martin Dermine, policy officer at PAN Europe confirmed: “Cypermethrin is extremely toxic to bees and wildlife in general. EFSA had identified a critical area of concern, which means re-approving the substance will inevitably lead to an unacceptable risk for pollinators, which is in total contradiction with EU law as well. On the one hand, the Commission publishes a good Biodiversity Strategy and on the other it accepts the re-approval of such pesticides that lead to the collapse of insect populations”.
Salomé Roynel further added: “PAN Europe is evaluating the possibility to appeal the re-approval of these substances before the Court of Justice of the EU. It is time the European Commission and Member States follow what science and EU law say: no harm to humans should be tolerated when it comes to pesticides’ use!”
The revised Aarhus regulation[2] has entered into force since end of October. The EU NGOs now have right to challenge an approval/re-approval of a pesticide active substance before the Court of Justice of the EU.
Contact: PAN Europe, Salome Roynel, +32 2 318 62 55, salome [at] pan-europe.info
[1] https://www.pan-europe.info/press-releases/2021/10/ngo-group-opposes-ren...
[2] Regulation 2021/1767/EC https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32021R1767
