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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
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.
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:
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:
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.
To participate in the consultation,
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