We now have to wait until early 2022 to find out more. The European Commission will have to adopt a proposal for a new regulation by the first quarter of 2022. If you want to know more about the results of the consultation you can download the summary here https://cutt.ly/BnLABip .
In summary:
1,640 contributions were collected. This is almost three times more than during the consultation on the Farm to Fork strategy with 654 opinions
63% of contributions came from European citizens, followed by businesses (14% of responses) and professional organisations (5%). NGOs and associations represent 7% of the contributions
64% of contributors agree with setting targets to reduce the risk and use of chemical pesticides
31% of contributors think that economic incentives to implement it would be an effective measure to reduce risks and use of pesticides.
Consultations
Participate to the public consultation: ‘Sustainable use of pesticides – revision of the EU rules’
Context
The EU law on the sustainable use of pesticides (SUD directive) aims to protect human health and the environment from the possible risks and impacts of pesticides by making it mandatory for Member States to reduce their pesticide dependency.
Several evaluations, including by the European Commission itself, show that Member States have not set any pesticide reduction targets as required by law. Yet, the European Commission hasn’t taken legal action against them for lack of implementation
While the SUD hasn’t delivered, alternatives to pesticides are already being used with success throughout several EU countries. Not only is it possible to gradually build a pesticide-free agricultural model exempt of harmful pesticides - it is in fact an emergency, and over time, a cost-efficient choice.
Goals
Forcing Member States to elaborate national action plans with concrete targets to significantly reduce pesticide use in the coming years.
Turning the target of 50% reduction in pesticide use set by the Farm to Fork Strategy, and the ambition of the European Green Deal, into an enforceable law.
EU currently offers
As part of the undergoing revision of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides directive (SUD), the European Commission has launched an online public consultation to find out what European citizens and organisations think about pesticide use in the EU and whether it should be pursued in the future.
The responses will be taken into account to revise the SUD and consider options that could help meet the goals of the Farm to Fork Strategy and the European Green Deal.
What we want
Member States need to truly reduce their pesticide dependency and protect public health and the environment. In its public consultation survey, the European Commission lists several measures that are already contemplated by the EU law, as well as few legal options for future.
I) To the following questions part of EU public consulation survey :” How important are in your view the following issues for future EU policies on the sustainable use of pesticides?”, these are the measures we believe will be the most effective:
- Enforcement of the existing Directive, for example through more frequent audits by the Commission in Member States, and legal action in case of non-compliance,
- Introduction of economic measures (e.g. tax, price increase) to reflect the true cost of the pesticides’ negative impact in terms of externalities (e.g. on water quality, on human health and on biodiversity) on prices,
- Introduction and enforcement of measures to protect the aquatic environment and drinking water,
- Restrictions on the use of pesticides in certain public areas such as parks, nature reserves and others.
Measures such as: training and guidance for pesticides users, educating EU citizens about the risks and potential harmful effects of pesticides use or reliance on new technologies and innovation such as precision farming will not be able to fulfil the requirements of the SUD directive nor will they be able to encourage the transition towards a more ecological model of farming that the EU desperately needs.
II) To the following question: “In your view how effective would the following options be to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU”, these are the measures we believe will be the most effective:
- Introduction of economic incentives and stimuli for the application of integrated pest management by pesticide users and other alternative methods for pest management,
- Promotion and expansion of organic farming in the EU,
- Reinforcing Commission oversight of the implementation of Member States’ National Action Plans on the sustainable use of pesticides, including penalties for underperformance,
- Increasing the price of more hazardous chemical pesticides to discourage and reduce their use.
We consider of lesser relevance measures such as: the introduction of more detailed labelling or colour codes on pesticides packaging to inform users and purchasers of the hazards, setting stricter rules for the use, handling and disposal of pesticides including the recycling of empty containers or restricting private individuals’ access to more hazardous chemical pesticides.
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Member States need to truly reduce their pesticide dependency and protect public health and the environment. In its public consultation survey, the European Commission lists several measures that are already contemplated by the EU law, as well as few legal options for future.
I) To the following questions part of EU public consulation survey :” How important are in your view the following issues for future EU policies on the sustainable use of pesticides?”, these are the measures we believe will be the most effective:
- Enforcement of the existing Directive, for example through more frequent audits by the Commission in Member States, and legal action in case of non-compliance,
- Introduction of economic measures (e.g. tax, price increase) to reflect the true cost of the pesticides’ negative impact in terms of externalities (e.g. on water quality, on human health and on biodiversity) on prices,
- Introduction and enforcement of measures to protect the aquatic environment and drinking water,
- Restrictions on the use of pesticides in certain public areas such as parks, nature reserves and others.
Measures such as: training and guidance for pesticides users, educating EU citizens about the risks and potential harmful effects of pesticides use or reliance on new technologies and innovation such as precision farming will not be able to fulfil the requirements of the SUD directive nor will they be able to encourage the transition towards a more ecological model of farming that the EU desperately needs.
II) To the following question: “In your view how effective would the following options be to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU”, these are the measures we believe will be the most effective:
- Introduction of economic incentives and stimuli for the application of integrated pest management by pesticide users and other alternative methods for pest management,
- Promotion and expansion of organic farming in the EU,
- Reinforcing Commission oversight of the implementation of Member States’ National Action Plans on the sustainable use of pesticides, including penalties for underperformance,
- Increasing the price of more hazardous chemical pesticides to discourage and reduce their use.
We consider of lesser relevance measures such as: the introduction of more detailed labelling or colour codes on pesticides packaging to inform users and purchasers of the hazards, setting stricter rules for the use, handling and disposal of pesticides including the recycling of empty containers or restricting private individuals’ access to more hazardous chemical pesticides.
I want to act!
The consultation is over.
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