Today the Commission published its Vision for Agriculture and Food. The text includes a worrying unscientific pesticide industry narrative on pesticides. The Commission backtracked on commitments to better protect EU agriculture competitiveness and citizens’ health by lowering Maximum Residue Levels in imported food. The vision lacks the teeth and sense of urgency needed in view of the health and environmental crises, which are wrecking a thriving future for farmers, citizens and ecosystems. Once again, the Commission leaves citizens' demands to move away from chemical agriculture hanging.
The Vision for Agriculture and Food seems to be another missed opportunity to take the needed actions to take EU agriculture on the path of sustainability.
"To protect our farmers' competitiveness, as well as citizens' and ecosystems’ health, the EU must lower Maximum Residue Levels of all pesticides banned for environmental and health reasons, not only 'the most hazardous' ones as stated in the Vision. All banned pesticides are hazardous. Farmers in third countries will keep using them, with catastrophic impacts, while ours will be in a situation of unfair competition. This Vision seems to favour the pesticide industry rather than EU farmers and health of citizens and ecosystems.' said Kristine De Schamphelaere, agriculture policy officer at PAN Europe.
PAN Europe also highlighted that the Vision contains industry narratives that are in contradiction with available scientific knowledge. The Vision claims that the pace of banning pesticides might be too fast, leading to reductions in crop yields and that before banning a pesticide, the Commission should evaluate available alternatives.
Natalija Svrtan, a campaigner on agriculture at PAN Europe added: "Every time the Commission proposes to ban a toxic pesticide, the industry claims we will have a 50% loss in yields. Eurostat's figures show that these claims are false: yields remain stable over time. EU-funded projects and others show that reductions in pesticide use of 50-80% is possible by implementing Integrated Pest Management techniques, without yield losses. Alternatives do exist, the Commission should not make so evident unsubstantiated and pesticide industry-friendly claims".
“This is a dangerous and unlawful approach. According to EU law, a pesticide must be banned if it is excessively toxic to health or the environment. The Vision even goes against a ruling from the EU Court that reminded that citizens' health and the environment should be given priority." said Dr. Angeliki Lyssimachou, Head of science and policy at PAN Europe.
The published Vision presented weaker ambitions on halting the export of EU-banned pesticides, moving from a promise to 'deliver' on this file to a commitment to "assess the issue".
Angeliky Lyssimachou added: "It is unacceptable that the EU weakens its promised commitment to halt the export of pesticides banned in the EU for environmental and health reasons. By failing to stand firm on its commitment from the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, the Commission undermines its credibility - to the benefit of the pesticides industry and trade. These toxic substances impact dramatically the health and the environment in third countries and then come back through imported food. Data shows that cocktails of extremely toxic and banned pesticides are still found in food sold in the EU, with higher rates in imports."
Recently, more than 90 organisations asked the Commission again to make phasing out harmful pesticides central in the Vision for Agriculture and Food. “With this Vision, the Commission also ignores the repeated calls of citizens to swiftly cut pesticide use, including the more than 1 million citizens of the ECI Save Bees and farmers, who asked to phase out harmful pesticides” concluded Angeliky Lyssimachou.
Contact: Kristine De Schamphelaere, Agriculture Policy Officer +32 473 96 11 20, kristine [at] pan-europe.info
Notes:
- Vision for Agriculture and Food & A Vision for Agriculture and Food: Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations
- Letter to the College of Commissioners - PAN Europe - 17/02/2025
Calls from citizens
- Of the 10 successful ECI’s that have been submitted to the European Commission, 2 focused on pesticides. Through the ECI ‘Save Bees and Farmers’, citizens asked for ambitious pesticide reductions to protect health, environment, biodiversity, long-term food food security and long-term perspective for farmers. More than 1 million citizens asked the European Commission and the Member States for a ban on glyphosate and ambitious pesticide reductions, through a successful ECI, for a ban on glyphosate (2017)
- IPSOS Citizens Poll on Pesticides (2023)
- The final report of the Conference for the Future of Europe included the need for high environmental ambition in food production systems, and to drastically reduce pesticide use (2022)
- The Eurobarometer survey on Food safety in the EU (2022), Eurobarometer on attitudes of Europeans towards the environment (2024)
- EU public consultation on the Common Agricultural Policy: respondents showed a concern for environmental challenges, such as the prevention of biodiversity loss and prevention and reduction of water pollution (pesticides, fertilisers) (2017)
- Statement of 90+ organisations: The time for delay is over: EU must phase out pesticides and build sustainable food systems
Scientific background/statement scientists:
- Sprint (2023). New Research Reveals Pesticide Mixtures Widespread in Environment, Urging Enhanced Regulatory Measures
- Silva et al. (2023). Pesticide residues with hazard classifications relevant to non-target species including humans are omnipresent in the environment and farmer residences
- Lechenet et al. (2017). Reducing pesticide use while preserving crop productivity and profitability on arable farms
- Beaumelle et al. (2023). Pesticide effects on soil fauna communities - A meta‐analysis
- Gunstone et al. (2021). Pesticides and Soil Invertebrates: A Hazard Assessment
- Rigal et al. (2022). Farmland practices are driving bird population decline across Europe
- Honert et al. (2025). Exposure of insects to current use pesticide residues in soil and vegetation along spatial and temporal distribution in agricultural sites
- Brühl et al. (2024). Widespread contamination of soils and vegetation with current use pesticide residues along altitudinal gradients in a European Alpine valley.
- Brühl et al. (2021). Direct pesticide exposure of insects in nature conservation areas in Germany. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03366-w:
- Scientists support the EU’s Green Deal and reject the unjustified argumentation against the Sustainable Use Regulation and the Nature Restoration Law
- We need a food system transformation - In the face of the Russia-Ukraine war, now more than ever
- Scientists call for ambitious Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation
- https://ipmworks.net/
- https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Agric...
Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture
- Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture report
- Analysis of recommendations SDA in view of pesticides, PAN Europe
Export, import and presence of pesticides banned in the EU
- The return of EU-banned pesticides: dangerous residues found in imported food
- Report: Double Standards, Double Risk: Banned Pesticides in Europe’s Food Supply
- Letter to Commissioner Hansen - Prevent the EU’s double standards for residues of banned pesticides in imported food
- Agriculture commissioner calls for clampdown on pesticide residues in imported foods
