Press releases
Pesticides are detected in playgrounds and schoolyards, despite measures taken by local authorities in the Italian province of Bolzano-South Tyrol. A new study reveals that the pesticide reduction measures proposed by the EU Commission are too weak. The results show that it is important to impose more stringent buffer zones.
On the 60th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, the book that helped trigger the modern environmental movement, pesticide contamination is higher than ever. This is also due to a failure of EU pesticide policies. A new PAN Europe report reveals a 100% failure rate of an EU law to ban the most harmful pesticides because officials follow rules created by industry.
On the 27th of September 1962, Rachel Carson published her famous book ‘Silent Spring’. She gave the world an important warning. But did we listen?
September 27 marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of the famous book ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson. She gave the world an important warning in 1962. It led to the very necessary ban of DDT and other highly toxic chemicals. But the system didn’t change. New pesticides were introduced, toxic business went on as usual and the use went up. Pesticide reduction is a myth so far, the worldwide sales are higher than ever. The EU has not reduced pesticide use since 1990 and is the world’s leading pesticide exporter.
An opinion[1] from the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU advises the Court to define, in a restrictive way, the possibility for Member States to provide pesticide derogations. If followed by the Court, this Opinion would lead to a dramatic reduction in derogations and better protection of citizens' health and the environment. The advice comes in the frame of to legal proceedings initiated by PAN Europe and Nature et Progrès Belgique on pesticide derogations[2].
PAN Europe has submitted a formal complaint to the Court of Justice of the EU. With the support of the NGO Sum Of Us, PAN Europe challenges the fact that the European Commission did not follow the conclusions of its scientific agency (EFSA) to ban this insecticide. Endocrine disruption, genotoxicity and extreme toxicity to aquatic life and bees were among the numerous issues highlighted by the EFSA. A considerable amount of data gaps prevented the agency from finalizing the risk assessment of the substance.
A new proposal by the European Commission will not solve the problems with pesticide co-formulants. Co-formulants are substances that make pesticide active ingredients efficient. Many studies show that these substances are toxic. The Commission proposal does not ensure compliance with the EU pesticide regulation (EU) 1107/2009. It fails to impose the toxicity criteria demanded by the law. With the Commission's proposal, citizens' health and the environment will remain unprotected against these "unknown" chemicals.
Next Thursday the European Commission will propose to EU Member States to maintain the notoriously toxic pesticide Propyzamide on the EU market. This EU proposal goes against the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA)’s opinion and against the law. The substance poses high risks to consumers. It is one of the most frequently found toxic pesticides in European-grown fruits and vegetables[1] and is on the list of the Toxic 12 pesticides that should be banned immediately according to PAN Europe.
PAN Europe has submitted a formal complaint to the Court of Justice of the EU. We dispute the 6th extension of approval granted to the pesticide ‘Dimoxystrobin’. This chemical is on the list of the most toxic pesticides that should have been banned years ago. With this case, PAN Europe sets out to challenge the Commission's systematic practice of granting consecutive years-long prolongations to dangerous pesticides, without any proper re-evaluation.
The publication of the "Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products" regulation proposal with an objective to cut pesticides by 50% until 2030 shows the will from the European Commission to resist pressures from pesticide-friendly Member States. Even though the proposal needs strong improvements, PAN Europe welcomes its publication so that democratic discussions can finally start.
