Acetamiprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide that is massively used in the EU as an agricultural pesticide and as a biocide. New scientific evidence shows that it presents a risk of developmental neurotoxicity, thus potentially harming fetuses. Générations Futures and PAN Europe sent a letter to DG Sante, presenting 16 new scientific publications pointing to problems, including neurotoxicity to humans. Publications also confirm the risk posed by this insecticide to wild pollinators and birds.
Acetamiprid is one of the last neonicotinoid insecticides allowed on the EU market for over 20 years. Others have been banned to protect bees or human health. Evidence shows that acetamiprid residues in food are frequent, while its use as a biocide can lead to close contact with humans, including children.
In 2023, PAN Europe submitted [1] a series of new scientific publications to the European Commission, pointing at the risk of developmental neurotoxicity: acetamiprid passes the placental barrier and interacts with neurons of developing fetuses. The European Commission sent a mandate to EFSA, asking to assess this new information. In 2024, EFSA published an opinion [2], which led to a significant reduction of Maximum Residue Levels of acetamiprid in food [3].
Pauline Cervan, toxicologist at Générations Futures, said: “The European authorisation of acetamiprid as a pesticide is based on a flawed assessment. Data from the scientific literature is clear: acetamiprid is persistent in the environment and toxic to humans, birds and bees.”
The NGOs identified that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended regulators to demand a specific developmental neurotoxicity study on 3 occasions since 2013 [4]. In 12 years, the European Commission never asked for this study to the industry, despite the important risks to fetuses and young children.
Pauline Cervan added: “In addition to the identification of the new scientific evidence, we noticed that this neurotoxin is presented as 'very persistent in the environment' in the biocide regulatory dossier [5], while in the pesticide dossier, different data is provided leading to 'non-persistent' conclusions.”
Persistence led to only a 7-year approval as a biocide, until 2027 [6], while acetamiprid was approved for 15 years as an agricultural pesticide (until 2033). In the letter, both NGOs ask to classify acetamiprid as a 'Candidate for Substitution', as required by law for persistent and toxic pesticides. Shorter approval periods lead to more regular re-evaluation of available scientific knowledge.
Martin Dermine, director at PAN Europe, added: “In just 2 years, 16 new peer-reviewed scientific studies point at harm to humans, and in particular risks of neurotoxicity to fetuses. This is a considerable amount of new scientific evidence that cannot be ignored by regulators. Some studies also show the presence of acetamiprid in children's brains.”
Martin Dermine concluded: “This new evidence shows that Acetamiprid should be classified as 'Toxic to reproduction category 1B' and must be banned. We are asking the European Commission to suspend the EU approval of that substance immediately, in order to protect the brains of our children, as well as the environment.”
Contact:
- Dr Pauline Cervan, Générations Futures, pauline [at] generations-futures.fr +33687503459
- Dr Martin Dermine, PAN Europe, martin [at] pan-europe.info, +32 2 318 62 55
Read more:
- Letter sent by Générations Futures and PAN Europe to the European Commission
- Acétamipride/Loi Duplomb : Il serait incompréhensible et dangereux de réautoriser en France, et même de laisser sur le marché en Europe, ce néonicotinoïde ! - Générations Futures
Notes:
[1] https://www.pan-europe.info/sites/pan-europe.info/files/public/resources...
[2] https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/8759
[3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32025R0158&q...
[4] EFSA PPR Panel (EFSA Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues), 2013. Scientific Opinion on the developmental neurotoxicity potential of acetamiprid and imidacloprid. EFSA Journal 2013; 11(12):3471, 47 pp. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3471
[5] Competent Authority Report - Acetamiprid PT18 - August 2018. pp 187/422: “Acetamiprid fulfills the P criteria and vP criteria according to available data” https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/fd927384-b921-8d32-5313-1f7e897a2d13
[6] COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2018/1129 of 13 August 2018 approving acetamiprid as an existing active substance for use in biocidal products of product-type 18 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018R1129
