As the European Parliament gears up for the upcoming first reading of the new EU legislation on pesticides, the Health & Environment Alliance and Pesticide Action Network Europe have contributed to the debate by organising a workshop on 7 March 2007 to call for pesticide use reduction for better health, particularly of children and vulnerable groups.

The workshop was hosted by MEP Hiltrud Breyer, rapporteur for the Regulation on the placing of Plant Protection Products in the Market, and co-hosted by MEPs Erna Hennicot Schoepges, Dorette Corbey and Roberto Musacchio.

Dr Roberto Bertollini, Prof. Philippe Grandjean, other experts and stakeholders presented the latest scientific findings pointing to potential links between pesticide exposure and neurotoxicity to children’s developing brain as well as acute and chronic illnesses including allergies, asthma, several types of cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

HEAL and PAN Europe urged MEPs to “cut back on pesticides for healthier lives” and supported their demands with a briefing and a poster.

Please find below the presentations from the workshop.

HEAL and PAN Europe Workshop "Pesticide use reduction for better health", European Parliament, 7 March 2007

SESSION 1 - The science behind the demands for better protection of children against pesticides

"Children and pesticides, a review of the evidence", Roberto Bertollini, World Health Organisation [1.59 MB]

The need for neurotoxicity testing of pesticides to protect children, Philippe Grandjean, Harvard University USA and the University of Southern Denmark [ZIP 4MB]

Protection of children against pesticides residues in food: current challenges and further improvement, Jana Hajšlová, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague [PDF 3.88MB]

SESSION 2 - Roundtable and debate: Best practices on reducing pesticide use and exposure for vulnerable groups

Peter Bergkvist, Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI): Swedish experience in the substitution of hazardous pesticides [PDF 400KB]

Georgina Downs, UK Pesticides Campaign: Campaigning to eliminate the exposure of rural residents and communities to pesticides [PDF 1.48MB]

Jean-Luc Dupupet, Caisse Centrale de Mutualité Sociale Agricole (CCMSA): Recognising pesticides links with Parkinson’s disease [PDF 288KB]

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