European Parliament pushes for rapid approval of biopesticides in the European Union

The European Parliament has shown broad political and industry consensus on the need to speed up the approval of biopesticides as part of its strategy to reduce the use of chemical pesticides in agriculture.

Biopesticides are pest control products based on natural mechanisms. When it comes to the use of these products, Europe is currently at an ‘extreme competitive disadvantage’ as the authorisation process in the EU can take up to 10 years, in contrast to the 2-3 years required in other regions of the world.

Although the report is not legislative in nature, it seeks to influence the European Commission, which is expected to present a plan in October to streamline these procedures. Among the key recommendations is the reopening of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 (concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market) to provide for an accelerated authorisation process for member states. However, as this may lead to further amendments related to chemical pesticides (positive or negative), CropLife Europe, representing the pesticide industry, proposes instead to improve the implementation of the current rules.

In addition, MEPs call for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to be given more resources and staff to strengthen its operational capacity.

The deadline for tabling amendments to the report was 10 July, with final adoption expected before October.