EU pesticide reform proposals could reduce oversight of active substances and weaken safety safeguards, according to researchers from 27 European institutions. The scientists say efficiency gains should not come at the expense of biodiversity, human health or sustainable crop protection.
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Researchers say the proposed simplification package may reduce oversight of active substances and increase risks to biodiversity, human health and sustainable crop protection.
The European Commission has presented a new legislative package intended to reform key provisions governing pesticide approvals. The “Food and Feed Safety simplification package” is part of a broader EU strategy to simplify legislation and reduce administrative burden.
But in an article published in the Policy Forum section of Science, scientists from 27 European research institutions warn that the proposed changes could weaken key safeguards in the pesticide approval process.
The group of authors, led by Dr. Dimitry Wintermantel of the University of Freiburg and Dr. Julia Osterman of the University of Gothenburg, argues that the EU can streamline approvals while still reducing the long-term risks pesticides pose to biodiversity, human health and agricultural systems.
Concerns Over Reduced Reassessment
“The simplification package would largely do away with the periodic reassessment of active substances in pesticides and leave existing weaknesses in premarket risk assessment unaddressed,” says Wintermantel.
“This increases the risks posed by pesticides to biodiversity and human health. We believe that the package thus clearly undermines the precautionary principle and runs counter to European and international environmental protection objectives.”
At present, active substances in pesticides are generally approved at the EU level for 10 years. After that, manufacturers can apply for renewal and must submit updated safety data, which is then subject to a fresh risk assessment.
The researchers warn that, under the simplification package, most active substances would be approved indefinitely. The requirement for periodic reassessment would be removed, and there would be no systematic monitoring process or automatic mechanism to trigger review once approval has been granted, according to a press release.
The authors say this could also shift the burden of proof away from manufacturers and onto authorities.
“In practice, periodic reassessment has proved to be an important tool. Since 2011, 59 active substances have not been granted new authorization due to health or environmental concerns,” says Wintermantel.
Scientific Evidence and Product Approvals
While the EU approves pesticide active substances, individual pesticide products are authorized by member states at the national level. According to the authors, the proposed package could reduce the role of current scientific evidence in those product-level decisions.
Currently, member states are required to consider the latest scientific knowledge when authorizing pesticide products. The package would not formally remove that requirement, but the authors say it would redefine it. In future, the relevant scientific knowledge could be limited to what was available at the time of the most recent EU active substance assessment. If approvals become indefinite, that assessment could be many years old.
Longer Transition Periods for Withdrawn Substances
The researchers also raise concerns about proposed changes to transitional periods. Under current rules, if an active substance is not reapproved, products containing it can continue to be used for up to 18 months.
The simplification package would extend that period to as long as three years, even when the substance has lost approval because of health or environmental concerns, unless those concerns are classified as immediate and serious.
“Contrary to the simplification proposal’s aim of promoting innovation, the proposal actually carries the risk of undermining incentives for innovation,” says Osterman. “If older products remain on the market for longer and are no longer subject to periodic reassessment, the pressure to develop safer and more innovative alternatives is reduced.”
Recommendations for a More Efficient System
The authors say the EU can make pesticide approvals more efficient without weakening safeguards. They estimate that the current backlog in reapproval applications, caused by delayed assessments, could be cleared within three years through an annual investment of 15 million euros.
They also recommend that applicants should no longer be able to choose which member state assesses their pesticides. Instead, the EU should assign assessments based on expertise. The authors say assessment criteria should be standardized across the EU, and the burden of proof should remain clearly with pesticide manufacturers.
More Transparency and Monitoring
The researchers also call for regulatory studies to be made publicly available to support independent research. They recommend linking pesticide application data to existing environmental monitoring programs, including those related to pollinators. Farmers are already collecting this kind of application data.
The authors also say pesticide residues in the environment should be measured more extensively. Analyzing these data together could help identify higher-risk pesticides and support targeted follow-up investigations.
They conclude that these reforms would make pesticide approvals more scientifically sound, transparent and efficient, while maintaining the precautionary principle and supporting European environmental protection goals.
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